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Somawansa Amarasinghe vets SLFP-JVP MoU
By Harinda Vidanage
Significant differences on the ethnic conflict have further delayed the proposed alliance between the SLFP and the JVP, informed sources said yesterday.
They said that at the talks on Thursday, the JVP delegation had brought back the SLFP draft with significant amendments proposed by the London-based JVP leader, Somawansa Amarasinghe.

They said that while the JVP was agreeable to a political solution, it was opposed to a federal system which the SLFP was ready to accept. The sources said President Chandrika Kumaratunga who attended the last round of talks at President's House had shown some annoyance over the continued differences. The President had been hopeful of working out the memorandum of understanding with the JVP by April 15 so that the two parties could have held a massive joint May Day rally.

But with the date for the next round of SLFP-JVP talks not even being fixed, the sources said the MoU, if at all, might not come till about May 15. They said the President was also unhappy about ex-minister Nimal Siripala de Silva going to London to organise an SLFP dance when she had wanted him to play a key role here in the talks between the SLFP and the JVP.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Dissanayake who took part in the talks said they had proposed significant amendments to the SLFP draft.

The JVP delegation was led by party secretary Tilvin Silva, but parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa who attended previous rounds of talks was not present on Thursday, sparking speculation as to why he did not turn up.

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