President Mahinda Rajapaksa today hinted that he is willing to meet and hold discussions with the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate for the North, C. V. Vigneshwaran, if the need arises.

Responding to a question during a meeting with the heads of electronic and print media at Temple Trees this morning, the President expressed that a discussion with the retired judge was not impossible.

President also stated that he is of the same stance he had held earlier regarding distribution of police and land powers to Provincial Councils.

He pointed out that land and police powers were not implemented since the introduction of the Provincial Council system to the country and that he is not of the opinion that it should be given special emphasis only at this moment.

On the subject of selecting Chief Ministers for the Provincial Councils, Rajapaksa said special emphasis was given to preferential voted when naming Chief Ministers at previous PC polls and that the same strategy would be applied for the upcoming election.

It also applies to the North Western Province, for which former UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara is contesting under the UPFA, he said.

On the decision to appoint a three-member commission to look into incidents of disappearances that have taken place during the conflict, Rajapaksa clarified that the move is not done under duress from anyone.

The President said he had been sensitive on the issue since the ‘70s and that is the reason he decided to look into incidents of disappearances, not at all due to international pressure.