UNP – SJB talks are on track: Gayantha Karunatillake

Talks between the United National Party (UNP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) on a possible re-unification are on track, Senior SJB member of the SJB Gayantha Karunatillake told Timesonline.

He said that several rounds of talks have been held and the UNP has informed that they would brief the party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and get back.

He said that four rounds of talks have been held between the two parties and the SJB had briefed their Leader Sajith Premadasa and management committee about the progress of the discussion.

“The unp leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was abroad, was due to return yesterday or today.  After the return of UNP leader the UNP party members would discuss with their leader and let us know whether they would go ahead with discussions,” he said.

“Maybe there would be a meeting at the end of the week or next week as the UNP members would have discussed the matter with their leader and notify us of their decision,” he said.

His remarks came, a day after SJB MP S.M.Marikkar told a news conference that the talks between the two sides has been temporarily stopped.

Mr Marikkar said that however, Mr Sajith Premadsasa should be the leader on whatever discussions are held.

Earlier, former Minister Harin Fernando from the UNP had said that the talks with the SJB were successful.

Both,  the SJB and UNP earlier had said that the main objective of the talks were initially aimed at the two sides contesting the upcoming local government elections under one list.