Can sack Ranil today, roars Chandrika

‘‘They don’t keep me informed. They tell me only a sentence or two, but issue statements saying that they had long discussions with me and they were very successful. Everything I say about the peace process is not given publicity by the media.’’

‘‘Up to now, I as the Commander in Chief of the forces, the head of state or the head of government have not been informed by the PM. He (PM) has not told me what his solution.’’

‘‘The Constitution does not give him (Wickremesinghe) any special powers. He is like any another minister. But he is able to go about as if he is an executive PM because I have with modesty and humility not tried to exercise all my powers. I am only being patient,’’ the President said.

Kumaratunga said if she dismissed Wickremesinghe she would not face any international backlash and claimed the international community was backing her.

Her remark was in sharp contrast to reports from Asian and Western diplomats who have spoken of ‘‘gentle foreign pressure’’ on her not to rock the boat and scuttle the Norwegian-backed peace bid.

She accused the Wickremesinghe government of trying to break up the country and give everything that the LTTE wanted.