COLOMBO, Nov 6: Sri Lanka’s ruling party on Thursday called upon the people to turn out in big numbers to welcome Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when he returns to the country on Friday.

The premier, who met US President George Bush on Wednesday, faces an uncertain future in the wake of the sacking of three key ministers by President Chandrika Kumaratunga during Mr Wickremesinghe’s absence.

Ms Kumaratunga met all military heads on Thursday after assuring the nation that she would safeguard the country’s security. According to military sources, the Special Task Force, the police and the army would be on full alert on Friday to face any untoward situation after the prime minister’s arrival.

A presidential adviser and former foreign minister, Lakshman Kadiragamar, in an interview said Chandrika Kumaratunga would not resort to a war but would talk peace with the LTTE on “reasonable terms” and that the president would oppose the “sacrificing of national integrity” to please the LTTE.

The Scandinavian ceasefire monitors, the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission, in a statement on Thursday said they were happy that the president was willing to continue the truce and confident that she would be supportive of a lasting peace.