UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has assured the Most Ven. Weveldeniye Medhalankara Mahanayake Thera of the Sri Lanka Ramagngna Nikaya that there is no pact or secret agreement between himself and the LTTE or any other agreement between the UNP or United National Front with the LTTE.

In a letter to the Mahanayake Thera, Wickremesinghe says that the People’s Alliance keeps making these baseless allegations against him since they have no other weapon to attack him.

‘While we are seeking a mandate from the people to establish a government with a vision to salvage the country from the present mess, there is a rapid build up against international terrorism and extremism worldwide. This is giving a new message to the minority parties and also to the LTTE. This is food for thought for the UNP as well as the People’s Alliance’, the letter stated.

Wickremesinghe further says that he intends to begin negotiations under the guidance of the Mahanayake Thera and seek the participation of political parties, religious leaders, civic organisations as well as the LTTE at these negotiations.

Following are excerpts of Wickremesinghe’s letter to the Mahanayake Thera:

As the leader of the party that was responsible to win the independence to our motherland, I wish to assure you that it is the fervent hope of myself, my party and the United National Front that was built under my leadership, that our main objective is to protect our motherland without any division, what so ever.

We believe that it is our bounden duty to protect the rights of every person belonging to different ethnic groups and religions while safeguarding the rights of the Sinhala majority.

"It is no secret that the war in the North East has destroyed our economy as well as the social, political stability. People living in the border villages of the North-East and members of the security forces are severely affected due to the curse of this war.

"This also has deeply crushed the lives of the innocent Tamil and Muslim civilians living in the North and the East. You are aware this curse has engulfed our entire nation and it’s social fabric.

"When late Right Honourable D. S. Senanayake created the United National Party he did so by bringing all the nationalities and religious groups under one flag. Distrust and differences grew due to the decisions and actions of certain political parties that took charge of the destiny of our country thereafter.

"Unrest in the North emerged under these trying circumstances. It gives me great pleasure to know that I have got the strength and ability to make the dream of Late D. S. Senanayake a reality, someday before long.

"When the People’s Alliance came to power in 1994 under the leadership of Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga she had the necessary background and international backing to find a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem. But that golden opportunity was missed by her own folly.

"Myself and my party gave her government the unreserved cooperation according to our policies and guidelines.

"Tamil and Muslim parties in the North and the East have accepted our hand of friendship towards building, peace and trust that I extended to them, a condition that I am very pleased about.

"There is no agreement with the parties that represent the people in the North and East and our party. Nevertheless, I have built some trust and faith in them which is necessary to come to some understanding. Our main objective is to reach the goal of peace and rapid development which is very essential for the well-being and prosperity of our country.

"I am very much alive to the fact that there are differences of opinions among different political parties and civil organisations with regard to this complex and painful problem. However, when the PA government made an attempt to introduce a new constitution we were able to reduce these differences to a minimum level.

"At that time we stressed to the President the importance of discussing this issue with the Maha Sangha. She disregarded this suggestion. She wanted to maintain the executive powers during the full period of her second term.

"These reasons could be attributed to the collapse of the discussions between my party and the government. Now I have been able to build the United National Front through unity and national consensus. Group of strong and capable members from the PA and some parties that represent minorities have joined in the perimeters of the United National Front. I believe this Front had built a strong channel to carry the message of peace and trust to the people of the North and to the LTTE leadership.

"This painful issue should be a main topic among every people’s forum. I need your venerable guidance in dealing with this complex matter. I also need the guidance of Catholic clergy and Hindu and Muslim religious leaders.

"There is no alternative to the peace and we have to build the necessary background conducive to reach a peaceful solution. I hope to create a background suitable for all ethnic groups to solve their problems with honour and dignity."