Colombo: Aides of the Sri Lankan President and the Prime Minister were meeting in Colombo today (November 16) ahead of another round of talks between the two squabbling leaders, officials here said.

Director General of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's office Mano Tittawella was holding discussions with Malik Samarawickrema, the Chairman of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP).

A meeting between the President and the Prime Minister ended without results last week and they are due to meet again in the coming week with the participation of their aides.

However, political analysts said there were no signs of a compromise in the bitter power struggle that led to Norway suspending its peace brokering efforts on November 14 and put in jeopardy the initiative to end ethnic bloodshed.

Government's chief peace negotiator G L Peiris said he did not believe that a snap election was the ideal solution to end the impasse, but said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was ready to face an election any time.

Diplomats noted that international backers of the Sri Lankan peace process, including India, did not favour an election four years ahead of schedule and would rather if the two rival leaders agreed on a compromise.

President Kumaratunga has promised that the parliament she suspended on November 4 will be reconvened on Wednesday (Nov 19) and she will allow Wickremesinghe's Government to unveil its Budget for 2004.

PTI