"Chandrika-Ranil talks need to bear fruit"

Spokesman for the UNP Gamini Laxman Peiris said on Tuesday that the government should not hold any referendum to change the present constitution "illegally".

Objecting to a referendum being held, G L Peiris said that moves by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to convene a constitutional assembly will hinder efforts to reach a consensus between the president and the opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe.

President met the opposition leader on the eve of her visit to India earlier this month.

In a joint communique issued by the presidents media unit stated that the president emphasised the importance of the UNP's participation in the National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation (NAPCR).

President has nothing to worry - Weerawansa in London

The NAPCR convened by the president at the beginning of this month was boycotted by the UNP, Tamil National Alliance and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

Junior partner

Professor Peiris said on Tuesday that discussions between the president and the opposition leader will not bear fruit if the constituent parties in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) do not come into a common agreement.

Meanwhile, JVP's media secretary and parliamentarian Wimal Weervansa told BBC Sandehasya that the president does not have to worry about JVP's objections on ISGA.

"If the president is in favour of having talks based on the ISGA proposals, why did Jan Peterson have to go empty handed?" he queried.