Sri Lankan President issues call for unity

Sri Lanka's President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, acting under international pressure, called for a government of national unity yesterday as she tried to defuse a power struggle with her Prime Minister.

In a televised address last night, the President urged "all parties in parliament to join me to form a grand alliance with the objective of forming a government of national reconciliation". The climbdown came after nearly 100,000 cheering supporters lined the highway into Colombo yesterday to welcome home her political rival, the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesingha.

Mrs Kumaratunga had suspended parliament during his absence in Washington and sacked three senior ministers. She said the ruling United National Party had ceded too much to the separatist guerrilla group the Tamil Tigers, which pioneered suicide squads with explosive-packed vests. The Tigers signed a ceasefire 20 months ago, and were on the verge of decommissioning weapons in exchange for a power-sharing arrangement in the north-east of the island.

Yesterday Mrs Kumaratunga accused the Government of placing the security of the island in "grave peril". But authorities said less rigid security regulations would now be in force, as the President in effect lifted emergency rule.

The President has appointed herself Defence Minister, and has also taken control of the Interior Security and Communications portfolios.