President Kumaratunga assured that the deal would be signed soon

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians impressed upon the president in Colombo on Sunday that the JM should be established without delay, they said.

Parliamentary group leader of the TNA R Sampanthan told BBC Sandeshaya (BBC Sinhala) that the president explained the reasons for the delay in establishing the structure.

“The president reiterated her commitment to establish the JM as soon as possible.”

Sampanthan said the president assured them the decision to share tsunami aid with the rebels would not be changed if she is to continuously hold the office of the president.

JVP criticised

President Kumaratunga met the TNA delegation after making a scathing attack on coalition partner Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in the morning.

Kumaratunga made a scathing attack on the JVP before meeting TNA

She accused the four JVP ministers in the cabinet of running a “psychological terrorism” and ruining the country’s economy.

The president on Friday assured the Buddhist Mahanayakes that she would have more discussions with them before signing the deal.

The influential Buddhist monks were assured by the president that the deal would not harm Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity.

Udugama Sri Buddharakkhita, Mahanayake thero of the Asgiriya chapter who met the president on Saturday told BBC Sandeshaya that after talks he felt that there is no need for protest.

In an apparent attempt to mobilise support for the proposed deal, Kumaratunga is to meet opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe on Monday.