‘Let the President handle peace talks’

‘‘The PM has the mandate and he must have control over all aspects,’’ Peiris said. ‘‘If the institutions of Defence and media are not in control of the Prime Minister, he cannot have responsibility for the peace process,’’ he said.

Kumaratunga has accused the government of giving away too much to the Tamil Tigers in the peace talks. She said she was acting in the country’s interests when she sacked the ministers and suspended Parliament. But her move has thrown the country into political turmoil and analysts say it threatens the peace process initiated by Wickremesinghe’s government with the LTTE nearly two years ago.

Wickremesinghe asked them to ‘‘explore the possibility of the President taking over the process herself,’’ Peiris said.

Wickremesinghe called it ‘‘the last chance for peace’’ that the country has to end a bloody war that has taken over 60,000 lives in decades of fighting. The government is demanding the return of the three key portfolios that Kumaratunga is now handling, saying it cannot be the ‘‘driving force’’ of the peace bid with the LTTE.

Meanwhile, Kumaratunga in an interview to NDTV, aired today, denied that the divesting of key portfolios of three Cabinet ministers and the suspension of Parliament had led to any constitutional crisis.

The President said she had not declared a state of emergency. Describing it as ‘‘a very normal action’’ which was ‘‘almost routine’’, Kumaratunga said she should have done it some months ago.

Asked about whether she intended to go for a snap poll, she said ‘‘no’’ adding, ‘‘unless it is forced by developments which I cannot predict.’’ On the readiness of her party in case ofelections, Kumaratunga said “her party is ready’’.

On Friday, she had called upon the Prime Minister to join her in a unity government — an idea that has surfaced repeatedly over the past decade but has never succeeded because of policy and personal differences between the main parties.

‘‘The PM will be called upon to to continue the peace process, while I shall take responsibility for the defence of the nation with the participation of the PM,’’ she said.

But the government seems to have called her bluff by offering to let her take over the peace process. ‘‘The government’s view is if Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is not entrusted with all responsibilities then it would be desirable for the President to take over the peace process,’’ Peiris said.