by Franklin R. Satyapalan
United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s first task as prime minister would be to invite all parties in parliament including the People’s Alliance, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance to join the United National Front government in a collective effort to solve national problems, a senior UNP member said yesterday.

"We are critically evaluating the situation and we hope that President Chandrika Kumaratunga will oblige the aspirations of the majority of people in this country," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We hope also that the president will leave the appointment of the entire cabinet to leader Ranil Wickremesinghe."

The president must not hold back any ministries, not even defence, and should hand cabinet over to UNF, the source said.

He noted that the UNP has three priorities: to rebuild the economy; to restore law and order and salvage democracy; thirdly, to initiate the process towards achieving a durable political solution to the ethnic problems.

"We don’t want to make the same mistakes as the PA did during the past seven years," he said. "PA had set other priorities."

The UNP will also improve housing, education, health, eradicate poverty and unemployment.

Everything depends on the talks between Kumaratunga and her response to requests by Wickremesinghe he said. It was up to her to hand over all appointments to the prime minister and abide by the aspirations of the people.