Financial Times

Compromise deal by December 15
By Feizal Samath

Selling peace through the private sector!
Invitees at the meeting between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the business community burst out laughing when the president was asked whether the peace process should be facilitated by a private organization.

"Shouldn't the peace process be handled by a private organization?" asked a business leader. "Ah .. now you want to make money from this (peace) too," retorted the president, provoking smiles and laughter across the floor.

The President agreed with another invitee that politicians over the years were responsible for the dismal state of the country. "I fully agree with you (we all are responsible)," she said.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga says a December 15 deadline has been set for her and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to work out a power-sharing pact to end the current political stalemate.

She was responding to a member of the business community who asked her whether there was a time frame for the joint committee representing the two leaders to come up with a solution or whether it would drag on. "No …no," the President was quoted as saying during a meeting with the business community on Thursday. "December 15 is the date by which we have to conclude negotiations (and come up with a solution)."

The President had invited representatives of various chambers including the Joint Business Forum (J-Biz) and others in the business community. Some 150 people attended with university academics also being present.

A four-member committee representing the two leaders is currently negotiating a compromise formula which is likely to include some of the power-sharing suggestions made by J-Biz. This powerful business group, in the meantime, has been invited by President Kumaratunga for crisis talks on Thursday with a meeting lined up with the Prime Minister after that.

J-Biz chairman Mahendra Amarasuriya confirmed that the president has agreed to meet them on November 27 while the prime minister had promised to meet the group after that.

The business community has expressed serious concern over recent political developments precipitated by a presidential move earlier this month to take over three ministries and prorogue parliament. Last Thursday's meeting by the President was aimed at explaining her stand to the business community.

The President gave a long explanation - most of which has been reported - as to her recent moves, saying she was left with no other choice due to unfolding events. She rejected suggestions that the move had adversely affected the economy, stockmarket and tourism, noting that the stockmarket had rebounded while tourism had recovered.

There was mixed reaction to the meeting with some business leaders saying it was disappointing while others said they felt she was prepared to share power.
Responding to questions on elections and dissolution of parliament, she said she has no intention - at this stage - to dissolve parliament but couldn't be drawn into a debate as to whether or not she would resort to this in the future before the next poll is due.

Last week J-Biz announced its proposals for power-sharing between the two leaders a few days after The Sunday Times FT reported that the group was considering a plan for both leaders to share power.

Among a range of power-sharing proposals suggested by J-Biz are for a suitable structure to be formulated to allow a greater role by the President in matters concerning Defence and Internal Security by establishing a Defence Council of which the President is the chairperson which will discuss and resolve policy matters while day to day defence functions will be handled by the Minister in charge of defence.

It said the Media Ministry should be controlled by the government with the minister appointed by the President on the recommendation of the PM; the Prime Minister to be totally responsible for negotiations with the LTTE; the President to be advised officially and regularly on the progress of negotiations; and joint efforts to be made to counter recent adverse international publicity

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