NEW YORK, Nov 3 ― UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Sri Lanka's president yesterday to allow parliament to vote on the appointment of a prime minister to end a political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation.

Guterres spoke by phone with President Maithripala Sirisena, who set off the crisis when he sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and replaced him with former authoritarian president Mahinda Rajapakse.

The UN chief told Sirisena that he was following developments in Sri Lanka "with concern,” and "urged the president to revert to parliamentary procedures and allow the parliament to vote as soon as possible,” a UN statement said.

Guterres offered United Nations help to broker a dialogue between all the parties.

Sri Lanka's speaker has summoned parliament to meet next week in defiance of the president who has suspended the assembly until November 16.

Wickremesinghe has refused to accept the dismissal and has remained bunkered at the prime minister's official residence for the past week.

The United States has also called on the president to reconvene parliament. ― AFP