New government to carry forward CBK policies

In her speech she said "The history of nations have amply demonstrated that there are moments when leaders are called upon to effect revolutionary changes, which necessarily cause some dissatisfaction amongst some groups"

President Kumartunge said that she was happy to note that President Rajapakse has expressed the desire of the new government to carry forward a large number of programmes started under her Presidency.

The electoral contest is over, the bitterness and conflict must end and the real work must begin, she says.

"All the people of Sri Lanka, in the diversity of their political views, must now unite again to work together in order that we face the difficult challenges of the future", Mrs.Kumratunge states.

"Peace was given top priority on our list of tasks. For the first time Peace was brought into the political vocabulary of our country becoming today a household word.", she says.

Mrs.Kumaratunge stressed "As your leader I knew I had to summon up the courage to tell you that the negotiations process marked by many failures and frustrations."

	President Kumaratunge with JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe

She said the task she chose was a Herculean one, yet she was aware that the vast majority of our peoples, when told the truth and not half truths and lies, have the definite ability and the political acumen to differentiate between facts and lies.

"It was not an easy task to bring together a deeply fractured party, which had lost all elections for 17 years and did not possess a clear vision on the resolution of this country's most serious problem. ", she states.

"I have done this with great personal sacrifice, but yet happy in the knowledge that this was in the ultimate service of my country. I now pass the torch to my successor, President Rajapakse, with my best wishes that he may complete the task with success.", she says.

"As I bid Farewell, I want you to remember that this nation of ours has a great and noble heritage. Something somewhere has turned us away from that nobility, and I believe that I and my governments have laid the foundation strongly enough for the new President to build on it.", she says.

Let us together, as a nation, do all that is required to repossess that greatness which we truly deserve, Mrs.Kumaratunge added.