COLOMBO, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Sri Lanka's main political party for the minority Muslim community is bracing itself to support the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's peace initiative with the Tamil Tigers.

    According to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Thursday, the party leader Rauff Hakeem had told a party forum early this week that the SLMC needs to back Rajapakse' efforts.

    Hakeem told the party that Rajapakse's approach so far in the Norwegian-backed peace effort was not seriously different from the stand of the SLMC on the issue, and, therefore, the party could support the president still remaining outside of his government.

    The SLMC backed Rajapakse's rival Ranil Wickremesinghe in the November 2005 presidential election.

    Hakeem told the party that Rajapakse's action to maintain the ceasefire despite pressure from his extremist allies and his action to continue with the Norwegian facilitation were commendable.

    What appeared to be Rajapakse's hardline on peace negotiations with the Tigers in the run up to the presidential election had also changed for the better, the SLMC leader had said.

    All these indicated that SLMC's differences with Rajapakse had narrowed down, Rauff Hakeem stressed the party sources added.

    Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) sits in the opposition bench in Sri Lankan parliament.

    The party was plagued in the recent times by a series of defections to the ruling party by legislators who challenged Hakeem's style of leadership. Enditem