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No plan to dissolve Parliament: Chandrika

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA April 21. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, dismissed the idea of dissolving Parliament, dominated by her political rival, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, here on Sunday. ``No, at the moment I don't have any such plan,'' she said at a press conference here, at the end of her two-day visit to Bangladesh.

The press conference was focussed on the ongoing peace talks with the LTTE. Explaining the unique constitutional provisions, she said the Executive President of Sri Lanka was `all powerful' — Head of State, chief executive, chief of the armed forces and could dissolve Parliament.

Brushing aside the notion that her opponents might impeach her from the Presidency, she said she had not done anything immoral or illegal for which she could be impeached.

About the unique political situation wherein the executive President was from one party and the Prime Minister and the Cabinet from the rival camp, she said she was trying to make the Government of the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, run smoothly. ``But the other side does not understand my good intentions.''

She said it was she who initiated the peace process first, when eight months' ceasefire was observed. She was always for a negotiated settlement.

She had made a proposal for devolution of maximum power to provinces and even proposed to abolish the executive authority of the President.

Despite some positive things having happened with the reduction of tensions since the ceasefire began, she wanted to see the LTTE engaged in the dialogue for a final cessation of the military conflict.

``But no discussion has yet started under the present Government to bring about a negotiated settlement.''

She said she wanted the peace process to go positively. But the LTTE was increasing its strength.There was strong evidence that the LTTE had established a ``separate de facto State'' in their areas even in the midst of the g peace negotiations.

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