Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat Refutes Cabinet Spokesman's Statement

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 25, 2002

Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat Refutes Cabinet Spokesman's Statement

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Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat has refuted the statement of government spokesman and Constitutional Affair Minister G.L. Peiris that the recently signed ceasefire agreement between the government and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels was discussed at two cabinet meetings.

In a press release carried on Monday's official Daily News, the Presidential Secretariat has described the statement as totally untrue and misleading.

The release said that President Chandrika Kumaratunga decided not to participated at the first cabinet meeting as she had convinced herself that there were no matters of special importance to be discussed at this particular cabinet meeting after inquiries.

As special cabinet meeting cannot be held without the prior consent of the president, the statement that the ceasefire agreement was discussed at the second special cabinet meeting is totally false, the Presidential Secretariat said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe said on Sunday that Tamil Tiger rebel leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran signed the ceasefire agreement earlier than expected and prevented him from giving more time to the president to examine the final draft of the agreement before signing it himself.

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