CBK
ducks the media in New York
NEW YORK - President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who has traditionally
played the role of a willing host to the media in New York, avoided
them this week when she came to the United Nations to address a
summit meeting of some 170 world leaders.
She
cancelled her UN news conference and the media reception scheduled
for yesterday. She also backed out of two scheduled interviews,
one with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the other
with Cable News Network (CNN).
The
excuse: "she wasn't feeling well". But she didn't say
whether it was her physical or her political health that was bugging
her. According to one informed source, Ms. Kumaratunga ducked the
media fearing the inevitable question about her current running
battle with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse over post-tsunami relief
operations and his new-found political relationship with the JVP.
According
to one political observer here, Ms. Kumaratunga has endeared herself
to UN officials. In response to a question, she told a gathering
at the Asia Society that in her post-retirement days she was willing
to lend her expertise in conflict-resolution, to other countries.
"That
was a message to Secretary-General Kofi Annan," a longtime
Sri Lankan UN staffer commented. "After her retirement, she
may be looking for a job as a UN trouble shooter."
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