Tamil Live Tv
President speaks candidly to nation in TV interview COLOMBO, Jan. 29 Kyodo
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga spoke candidly to the nation Sunday night in a nearly two-hour live television interview in which she touched on a range of issues.
The moderator of the program ''Janamandalee,'' Newton Gunaratne, confronted Kumaratunga on four main issues -- the escalating cost of living, the inability of the government to end the long-running civil war, and rumors that Sri Lanka is not receiving any more foreign aid and that the economy is on the verge of collapse.
Speaking on the causes of the escalating cost of living, the president cited rising fuel prices, noting that the price of a barrel of oil has risen more than three times to $35 within one year.
She also cited the unprecedented expansion in procuring armaments and modern weaponry for government forces fighting the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Kumaratunga rejected rumors that Sri Lanka is not receiving any more foreign aid. She said that despite efforts by the opposition United National Party to persuade foreign countries to withhold aid from Sri Lanka, there was overwhelming support for the aid.
Touching on fears surrounding the floating rate of exchange, she admitted that at the initial stages there is bound to be a drop in the value of the rupee and some inflationary effects but that within the next few weeks stability will set in and things will return to normal.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Kyodo News International, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group
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