Colombo, March 11 (IANS): Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga Tuesday said she has started a dialogue between political parties and other groups in the country to promote inter-faith coexistence.

Speaking to reporters after meeting opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe, the former President said she had taken part in the initiative following an invitation extended by the South Asia Policy and Research Institute (SAPRI), a non-governmental organization.

Kumaratunga said she has also sought a similar meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa but was yet to receive a response, Xinhua reported.

"I am grateful to the UNP (United National Party) leader for giving us time for the discussion. We have received responses from some government ministers who are willing to meet us. We will later brief the public on the importance of interfaith coexistence and how this will help the country," she said.

The initiative follows attacks on mosques and Christian places of worship in Sri Lanka over the past few weeks, which the government insists are isolated incidents.

The former president noted that it was important that the issue of attacks of religious minorities figured in a draft resolution on Sri Lanka presented to the UN Human Rights Council currently meeting in Geneva.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said his party would support Kumaratunga and SAPRI in its efforts to create unity among all religions in Sri Lanka.

He said that in talks Tuesday, they discussed how they could work together devoid of political affiliations for interfaith coexistence.