Sandasen MARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE
External influences can be minimized if the Opposition and the government get-together, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.
Addressing Parliament, the Opposition Leader thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for moving the motion to lift the state of Emergency.
He said that the Opposition does not stand against that motion but supports it.
Wickremesinghe also stated that it was important that the President made this statement in Parliament, rather than outside Parliament. He added that most members make statements on incidents of national importance outside Parliament.
The Opposition Leader also said that the country cannot be content just by lifting the state of Emergency, but democracy should be guaranteed. He suggested that laws needed for that, be passed within Parliament. Wickremesinghe added that when the government and the Opposition get-together, the external influences could be minimized.
The Opposition Leader also said that the world is to face a food shortage in the near future and we have to find solutions prior to those issues confront us.
Wickremesinghe also stated that as the terrorism menace was eradicated, this problem should be solved politically. He said that discussions continued in that respect should be resumed and wished the discussions become successful.
The Opposition Leader said that the Opposition had been requesting to lift the state of Emergency for almost one year. He thanked for taking the decision to lift the state of Emergency even at this stage.
CDN