Sri Lanka's main opposition party issued its presidential election manifesto here Tuesday promising to generate employment, economic relief and a political solution to end the separatist armed conflict.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the candidate of the United National Party (UNP), told reporters that high cost of living in the island had taken precedence over the moves to engage Tamil Tigers in the peace process to end the separatist armed conflict.

Blaming the incumbent government for printing money, Wickremesinghe said he will control inflation to bring down cost of living.

As the president he would be creating a consumer relief program and would take steps to reduce the prices of essential goods.

Wickremesinghe said he will create 200,000 job opportunities in the first year and increase it to 1 million jobs in five years.

"By raising our economic growth to 10 percent we will create 3 million jobs, double everyone's real income and increase income growth more than inflation," Wickremesinghe said.

The UNP leader said he would work toward a permanent solution to the ethnic problem through a political solution in an inclusive process of all political parties with diverse views.

Wickremesinghe promised to complete construction of tsunami devastation within one year with a pledge to reconstruct completely damaged houses within six months.

The Presidential election is to be held on Nov. 17 with Wickremesinghe having to contend his main challenger, Mahinda Rajapakse, the incumbent prime minister.

Source: Xinhua