United National Party Deputy General Secretary Dr Jayalath Jayawardhana said yesterday that the recent claim made by the Director General of the Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle that there were no criminal charges against former LTTE Chief Arms Procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP would raise a laugh.

He was addressing a joint news conference at the Opposition Leader's office at Marcus Fernando Mawatha with New Left Front Leader Dr Wickremabahu Karunaratne, Nava Sihala Urumaya Leader Sarath Manamendra, Tamil National Alliance National List MP M.A. Sumanthiran, Ruhunu Janatha Party Leader Aruna Zoysa and Democratic People's Front Leader Dr Nalliah Gurubaran.

Dr Jayawardhana also threw an open challenge to Hulugalle to say that he was unaware that KP was wanted in a criminal court in India which was also published in the website of Interpol.

"So, on what basis and rationale could Hulugalle rise to the defence of KP who is a well known international terrorist who was responsible for the murder of so many innocent Sri Lankan civilians over the last thirty years?" he queried.

Dr Jayawardana also said that he had tabled a copy of the open warrant which had been filed by Interpol against KP.

He also said that it was morally obligatory for the Inspector General of Police N.K. Ilangakoon and the Police Department to assist in the arrest of KP as Sri Lanka was also a signatory to Interpol.

Meanwhile, New Left Front leader Dr Wickremabahu Karunaratne said that there was a similarity between the UNP and his party in that both parties advocated the implementation of the 13th Amendments and the 17th Amendment to the Constitution while retaining the Executive Presidency.

This was why we fundamentally opposed the Democratic National Alliance of General Sarath Fonseka who had advocated the total abolition of Executive Presidency and the 13th and the 17th Amendments.

TNA MP Sumathiran said that there were two issues which were facing both Tamils and the Sinhala civilians in Sri Lanka where people were assaulted by unidentified criminals whether it was in Nallur or Mount Lavinia and those criminals got away with impunity despite whatever they did. It was the same case with the assault on Judicial Services Commission�s Secretary, Manjula Thilakaratne in Mount Lavinia or whether it was the Chairman of the Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha.

-(Island)-

The Working Committee of the United National Party (UNP) has decided to expel 10 members including provincial councilors Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake from the party. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake stated that the report compiled by the disciplinary committee appointed to inquire into the attack on Sirikotha was handed over to the Working Committee today. He stated that Working Committee decided to terminate the party membership of 10 individuals, including Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake based on the findings of that report.

Colombo District MP Duminda Silva is due to attend Parliamentary sessions tomorrow (18) after 18 months of leave taken with the approval of Parliament, according to government sources. He had been granted leave after being seriously injured in a clash in Mulleriyawa. He returned to Sri Lanka recently after a long period of medical treatment at a hospital in Singapore and continued undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

JHU says that It not Sri Lanka, but India which broke the Indo-Lanka pact by not being able to demilitarize the LTTE as they promised. JHU made this accusation to India as a reply to a alleged statement made by the TNA in India that by bringing changes in to the 13th Amendment, Sri Lanka is trying to violate the Indo-Lanka pact. Party secretary Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said in a media meeting today (17) held at the party HQ, that the Indo-Lanka pact has now become politically nullified. He said that it is India who broke the pact by militarizing the LTTE instead of demilitarizing it. And even the TNA's India visit to discuss about the 13 Amendment changes wit the Indian Govt, was heavily criticized by the minister. He said that the local problems should be solved locally.

Sri Lanka's Ministry of External Affairs Monday launched the official website of the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo in November this year. The website www.chogm2013.lk , launched at a function held today with Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris presiding, will provide information relating to the CHOGM 2013. Prof. Peiris speaking at the occasion said that holding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka is a victory achieved by all Sri Lankans. He said that this is the first time an Asian country got the opportunity to host the Commonwealth summit.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India would convey its views on alleged attempts by political parties in Sri Lanka to repeal the 13th Amendment to its Constitution, after considering its implications. "While this is a matter on which a decision will be taken by various political parties within Sri Lanka, we will certainly consider its implications and make known to the Sri Lankan authorities our views in the matter," Singh said in a letter to DMK chief M Karunanidhi. As per the 13th Amendment that followed the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord of July 1987, Sri Lankan government had agreed to devolve some authority to the provinces. Observing that the Centre had consistently worked for all communities in Sri Lanka to find their rightful place in the country, Singh said, "We will continue to work for attainment of this goal through a process of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka."

External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris today expressed appreciation of the action taken by the German Parliament (Bundestag) to defeat a recent Resolution critical of Sri Lanka. He also urged the German authorities the activity of several LTTE front organizations operating in Germany under the guise of community organizations. Peiris made these observations during his bilateral discussions in Berlin with Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. He emphasized that conditions in Sri Lanka today are conducive to significant expansion of trade and investment relations between the two countries. Germany, he pointed out, is the second largest investor from the European Union in Sri Lanka, a very significant source of tourism, and the largest source of grant and soft loan assistance from the European Union to Sri Lanka. In these circumstances, it is important for Germany to be fully informed, Minister Peiris said, about current developments in Sri Lanka.

Northwestern Provincial Councilor Ananda Sarath Kumara of the United PeopIe's Freedom Alliance(UPFA), has been further remanded until June 27th over the punishing of a school teacher at the Navodya School in Navagattegama. Puttalam Acting Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake issued the order this morning (17). Meanwhile, Nawagattegama Navodya School has been closed shortly after the demonstration held with the participation of teachers, students and members of the Ceylon Teachers' Union against the Councillor. The school has been reportedly closed at 10.30 am due to a heated situation.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalalithaa on Monday accused the Centre of not engaging the Sri Lankan government in any dialogue to resolve the issue of attacks on fishermen from the state and maintaining a 'stoic' and 'apathetic' silence over it. "The External Affairs Ministry has continued to maintain a stoic and apathetic silence and there appears to be no effort to engage the Sri Lankan government in any dialogue to resolve the issue," she said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Recalling her earlier letters to him, she said it was regrettable there was no strong reaction from the Government of India. "The apathy of the government has emboldened the Lankan Navy to continue their predatory onslaughts on Tamil Nadu's fisher folk with impunity."

Sri Lanka's major Muslim party and coalition partner of ruling alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) says the party will take legal action if the parliamentary select committee that will be appointed to revise the 13th Amendment to the Constitution approves the proposals to curtail the powers devolved to the Provincial Councils. National organizer of the SLMC, Rafeek Rajabdeen said the party was against the amendments brought to take away police and land powers from Provincial Councils. Parliamentary Group of SLMC unanimously resolved on June 11 to express opposition to any moves to make changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Sri Lankan Navy arrested eight Indian fishermen who had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and were fishing in waters north of the Talaimannar coastal line. The Indian fishermen were arrested and their 2 mechanised fishing trawlers confiscated by a team of navy personnel from the Talaimannar navy camp. Later, they were handed over to Talaimannar Police and are scheduled to be produced at the Mannar Magistrate's Court today.

Sri Lanka Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) announced that it would bring a political package to replace the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The party led a bloody campaign against the 13th amendment and the Provincial Councils in 1987-90 period and many thousands of people died as a result. Politburo member of the JVP, parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said that solutions for the problems of the Tamil people are needed to be provided concurrently with the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. JVP proposes solutions to the problems of the Tamil people in their package while proposing to abolish the 13th Amendment completely, Dissanayaka says.

Following the announcement by the government that a Code of Ethics will be introduced for the print and electronic media, the Media Ministry now says it hopes to introduce new laws for websites. Media Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath said that a committee is to be formed to draft the new laws for websites operating in Sri Lanka. Herath said that so far just 67 websites have been registered with the Media Ministry but yet there are no laws to take action against them or unregistered websites if they publish false and damaging content. He said that in other countries there are laws and when they are outdated the authorities often update them with new laws.

Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma says there is nothing wrong in falling in love and the police have no right to arrest young couples who just hold hands or sit together under an umbrella. Speaking at an event in Matara today, the Minister said that he had once received a complaint that 80 young couples had been arrested by the Matara police. "What did they do wrong? They were arrested for going to the beach together, sitting on a bench together or being under a tree, under an umbrella together having a chat. They never even kissed the cheeks. They were not naked. So what is wrong? If they were in front of a school then they should be removed from there," he said.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will embark on a visit to India for talks with state officials on an invitation extended by the Indian Government, and are scheduled to leave the island tonight. A delegation of TNA parliamentarians led by its leader R. Sampanthan, is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid among others, during the visit. The main focus of the talks will be the proposed amendments to the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, among other political developments in the island. Several political parties, including government allies, had recently raised strong objections to the 13th Amendment and wanted it repealed.

DMK president M. Karunanidhi does not oppose the training of the Sri Lankan military in India because he wants Congress support to get his daughter Kanimozhi re-elected to the Rajya Sabha, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said Saturday. "Despite the DMK exiting the central government, Karunanidhi is not opposing the centre because he needs the support of five Congress legislators for his daughter Kanimozhi's reelection," she said. Kanimozhi is one of the two DMK members in the Rajya Sabha who will retire July 24. A total of six members, including Kanimozhi, would retire next month.

The Bodu Bala Sena organization objects to the decision taken by the British Council to hold an English examination for kids in its Kandy library upon a request of a private tutor in Aunradhapura, on the Poson Poya Day. The objection was officially made to the British Council Kandy library authorities by the BBS Kandy organizer Ven. Liyanwala Rathanasara thero and Central Provincial council JHU member Thushara Swarnathilaka. Ven.Rathanasara thero states that bringing the children from Anuradhapura to Kandy on a Psoson Poya day is a terrible wrong doing.

United National Party Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake yesterday pointed to the sharp fall in the Rupee and stock market as being telling signs of the country's economic crisis.Karunanayake warned that the sharp depreciation of the rupee over the last 72 hours impacted the country's imports and increased the country's debt burden by billions of rupees. Yesterday the currency fell to a six month low of 129 against the US dollar. "When the rupee fell against the dollar from Rs. 114 to Rs. 128 last year, the country's debt burden increased by Rs. 280 billion. It is poised to increase again now," Karunanayake charged.

Former Army Commander and the leader of the Democratic Party Mr. Sarath Fonseka says that the devolution of power is not that much of a problem. He made this comment while leaving the court yesterday (14) after appearing for the case file against him and his secretary retried Army captain Mr. Senaka de Silva regarding providing accommodation and wages to 10 Army deserters to relieve them from the state loyalty. Mr. Fonseka further said that we can not go back to the stone age solutions. Answering to a question regarding the elections in Northern and Eastern provinces, He said that according to the law if elections are held in other provinces, it should be the same in North and East.

The President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed a new Commander to Sri Lanka Army. Major General Daya Rathnayake has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from 1st August, the Defense Ministry said today. Current Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya has been promoted to a General and appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff with effect from August 01 while the Present Chief of Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke will relinquish his position on the same day. Lieutenant General R.M.D Rathnayake, more popularly known as 'Daya Rathnayake' is currently the 43rd Chief of Staff in the Sri Lanka Army (since February 2010). He will become the 20th Army Commander of Sri Lanka.