Sri Lanka's president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has flatly denied that he ever told India's external affairs secretary, SM Krishna, that he would go beyond the 13th Amendment in the constitution.
When asking by a journalist Monday, Rajapaksa reportedly said,
"Oh, No! How can I make promises like that? I have referred the issue to Parliament. I have nominated government representatives to the PSC. But unfortunately, neither the UNP nor the JVP has nominated theirs. It is the same with the Tamil National Alliance as well."
"We can use our parliamentary majority to do that, but I won’t. The Parliamentary Select Committee is an open forum. I will be implementing what is agreed upon there."
"The TNA is now talking the way the LTTE used to. What it is asking for is not of concern to the people of Kilinochchi. These are the matters that we should take cognisance of. The stand of the TNA is not clear."
"The Opposition, the media, social activists and all stakeholders should unite to find a lasting solutions to these long standing issues, but no one seems to be making use of the open form that is available."
"We want the support of not only the political parties but also the media. This is a national issue and we need the support of all stakeholders."