US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO2001

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 002001 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  11-19-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PHUM, CE, Political Parties 
SUBJECT:  Parliament reconvenes after two-week 
suspension 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1989, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of 
Mission.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (SBU) Following its two-week suspension by order of 
President Kumaratunga, Parliament reconvened on schedule 
the morning of November 19.  With most of the body's 225 
MPs present, Joseph Michael Perera, Speaker of the 
Parliament, opened the session by harshly criticizing 
the President's decision to suspend the body. 
Kumaratunga, who could have attended the session in her 
capacity as president, was not present.  In his lengthy 
speech, Perera, a member of the governing United 
National Party, asserted that the President's decision 
to suspend Parliament was improper.  This generated a 
vehement response by Opposition members, who immediately 
demanded a debate on the issue.  Perera swiftly ended 
the morning session, promising such a debate at a later 
time.  Parliament met again late on November 19 for the 
annual budget presentation by K.N. Choksy, Minister of 
Finance.  (Septel will review the GSL's budget.) 
 
2.  (C) In other developments related to the current 
cohabitation impasse, Bradman Weerakoon, Prime Minister 
Wickremesinghe's secretary, told us on November 19 that 
the "Committee of Officials" set up by the President and 
PM during their November 18 meeting (see Reftels) was 
planning to meet daily for two to three hours.  The 
committee's goal was to finish a paper outlining a way 
forward on cohabitation issues by the time the two 
leaders meet again in about ten days time.  Weerakoon 
(himself a committee member) characterized the 
President-PM meeting the previous day as "extremely 
successful" and said he now had hope for a workable 
solution to the current crisis. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT.  The reconvening of Parliament, and the 
intent of the President's and PM's senior advisers to 
meet for discussions are signs that the crisis of the 
past two weeks may be in abeyance for the moment.  That 
said, the political situation remains highly charged and 
volatile.  END COMMENT. 
 
4.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD