Minister Tilak Marapama, who is chosen to be the new Foreign Minister, is reluctant to take oaths in the position as his predecessor Ravi Karunanayake's personal staff is still at the ministry, informed government sources said. 

Aside from the personal staff, Karunanayake, who stepped down from the position last week, is still using ministry vehicle and other facilities he enjoyed as a Cabinet minister, they added. 

Sources close to Karunanayake said keeping his personal staff at the ministry was one condition he put forward to the President and the Prime Minister before resigning from the Cabinet position. 

He had said there was no point in removing his personal staff and handing over vehicles as his resignation was temporary. 

It is now learnt that Marapana is reluctant to accept the position under the current circumstances. Marapana, a former Attorney General, had told the leaders of the government that he wanted to function as a proper Cabinet minister, and not as a stand-in minister in the interim. 

Despite this fresh issue, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Vasantha Senanayake told the media on Sunday that the new Foreign Minister would take oaths in two days.