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K Venkataramanan in Colombo
United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was on Sunday sworn in as prime minister of Sri Lanka.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga administered the oath of office to Wickremesinghe at a simple function at the heavily guarded President's House in Colombo.
It was attended by Wickremesinghe's family members, his party colleagues Karu Jayasuriya, Gamini Atukorale and Charitha Ratwatte and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem.
Kumaratunga told the reporters that she was awaiting Wickremesinghe's proposals on the appointment of other ministers.
"I'm waiting for his proposals. I am ready any time," she said.
In a sign that she may not go in for any confrontation with the UNP-controlled Parliament, she said: "Now, I have all the time. I don't run the government any more, I run only the Presidency."
Immediately after the function, Wickremesinghe offered prayers at a Buddhist temple in the capital.
Meanwhile, the presidential secretariat denied a private television channel report that Chandrika had decided to give up the defence and finance portfolios.
Nothing pertaining to the allocation of portfolios was discussed at Saturday's meeting between the president and Wickremesinghe, it said.
Mediapersons from the television channel, owned by Wickemesinghe's family members, were also denied access to the swearing-in ceremony.
Reporters of the Sunday Leader and Sinhala newspaper Ravaya, both strongly critical of the president, were also kept out.
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