Desperate Talks To Break Deadlock: President Invites Karu For Talks And Karu Says He Won't Come Without PM

February 18, 2018

As a large ditch measure to find a solution to the current political deadlock, President Maithripala Sirisena convened a meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Speaker Karu Jayasuriya at his official residence this evening. 

Although the outcome of the meeting is still not known, informed political sources said the crisis had worsened over the past 24 hours. Therefore, a final solution to the issue is still not in the picture. 

However, they also stated that the President first invited Speaker Jayasuriya for the meeting. 

The Speaker, in response, had said he would not come for the meeting unless Prime Minister Wickresinghe was also invited. 

Then, the President's Office had contacted the Prime Minister and invited the latter for the meeting. 

The way Speaker Jayasuriya handled the complex situation has earned praise from the Parliamentary group of the UNP.  When the Prime Minister and the Speaker went in for the meeting at the President's office, the majority of Parliamentary group members of the UNP were at Temple Trees.