The Hindu : Talks with Pakistan key to solving Kashmir issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2002

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Talks with Pakistan key to solving Kashmir issue

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu Dec. 10. The Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, today said talks with Pakistan held the key for a final solution of the Kashmir problem and dialogue with that country should begin at the appropriate time and forum for resolving issues.

Talking to The Hindu here, Mr. Abdullah said, "We have to accept the reality that we have to talk with Pakistan. I do not want to comment on the time of the Indo-Pak. dialogue but certainly we need to talk to Pakistan at an appropriate time. It is for the Central Government to take a stand on this."

Stressing on the need for starting a dialogue on the political settlement of the issue, he said "let it be clear to every one that without the National Conference, there cannot be any solution and the party has to be included in any kind of dialogue which the Centre starts. The NC represents all the three regions of the State and it is not like any other party which has a minuscule presence in one region or the other. It is also the single largest party in the State Legislature."

On his party's present stand he said, "Greater autonomy was and will remain the main plank of the National Conference for any sort of political settlement."

On the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, expressing on the floor of the State Assembly, his reluctance to talk with Arun Jaitley on the issue of autonomy and his preference for forming a committee, he said,

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Talks with Pakistan key to solving Kashmir issue