UNP says the govt. is trying to capitalise the death of the minister

The United National Party (UNP) says the Sri Lanka freedom Party (SLFP)-led government is trying to capitalise the death of the foreign minister by pointing the finger on the UNP.

In a press conference held in Colombo on Tuesday, UNP parliamentarian Rajitha Senarathne said the president and some left-wing parties have admitted extremist groups in the south should also be blamed for creating a situation in the country.

This may not be the last assassination. We all may be targets of the next assassin Rajitha Senaratne

The former Land minister said: "This may not be the last assassination. We all may be targets of the next assassin."

Therefore, Senaratne said, there is no other way than restarting the direct talks with the LTTE to prevent future killings.

He reminded that late Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike, father of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, expressed hope that the history would forgive him for not going ahead with the Bandaranaike-Chelvanaikam pact, in which the government declared Tamil as a national language.

Foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was killed by unidentified snipers on Friday night at his private residence.