Call for inclusive talks on 13A

COLOMBO: President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed the need for inclusive discussions on the 13th Constitutional Amendment during the All-Party Conference being held at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting was convened with the primary aim of apprising party leaders representing Parliament about both, the National Reconciliation Programme, and the North and East Development Plan.

Wickremesinghe emphasized that this matter affects the entire country and should be addressed with the participation of all political parties, not just limited to MPs of Tamil political parties, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

During his address to the All-Party Conference, the President also highlighted that seven out of the nine Provincial Councils are situated in regions where the majority of Sinhalese people reside, mentioning the need to address the existing shortcomings if the Provincial Council system is to be sustained in the future, according to the PMD.

During the All-Party Conference, President Wickremesinghe asserted that neither he nor any of the previous Presidents had the mandate to formulate laws, noting that this responsibility solely lies with Parliament.

He emphasized that his role was limited to presenting proposed laws for the betterment of the country.