COLOMBO, Aug 10: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday that he would not in any way hinder President Kumaratunge from completing her tenure and would not encourage any political conflict which would tarnish the peace process.

The prime minister made this statement at a meeting with the head of a group of Buddhist clergymen, Udugama Buddarakkitha.

Mr Wickremesinghe assured the monk that he was committed to bringing about political and financial stability in the country.

The Minister for Rehabilitation and Refugees, Dr Jayalath Jayawardena, a key figure in the peace process who has a long history of working on behalf of the Tamils, said the UNF did not want to go in for an election if President Kumaratunga “sincerely means her words”.

Expressing doubts about Kumaratunga’s address to the nation on Friday, Jayawardena said he “and his party members had serious doubts” about the president’s assurance that she wanted that negotiations start soon.