COLOMBO, Aug 29: The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said on Monday it would support moves made by President Mahinda Rajapakse to establish a national government comprising all political parties.

Sources in the presidency confirmed to Dawn that last week Mr Rajapakse had sent out invitations to all political parties to join a national government. The president said such a move was had acquired urgency to break the deadlock in negotiations with the Tamil Tigers.

Mr Rajapakses move came after two Tamil minority parties — the Ceylon Workers Congress and the Upcountry Peoples Front — joined the government last week.

A spokesman for the United National Party, the biggest opposition group in parliament, said the party would consider any proposal by President Mahinda Rajapakse for a national government only if it were accompanied with clearly defined solutions.