COLOMBO, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has started consultations on the peace process with political parties represented in Parliament, Daily News reported Tuesday.

    Beginning talks with Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party, President Rajapakse met JHU's Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Mahanayake Thera at his invitation on Monday.

    Medhananda Thera pledged his party's full support to Rajapakse and his government to move its peace agenda for the solution of the national question.

    "We discussed the importance of getting the international community around the reality of the problem. We pointed out the importance of getting Indian involvement in reaching a durable solution to the problem," he was quoted by the paper as saying.

    "We agreed that the problem should come to a settlement within an undivided country with an emphasis on protecting human rights,"he said.

    We also said that facilities may be given to Tamil people with a warning not to allow terrorism to establish its power in the name of Tamil people, Medhananda Thera said,

    We highlighted the importance of launching an effective program to counter bogus propaganda which is spread internationally through the LTTE media network to tarnish the image of the country and its people, Medhananda Thera added.

    Minister Dew Gunasekara told the Cabinet media briefing last week that President Rajapakse would start bilateral talks with each political party first and then move towards multi-party discussions in his endeavor to reach a consensus among political parties.

    "The President will strive to initiate a new approach to the peace process through these discussions," the Minister said. Enditem