Hurriyat denies being a mediator

NEW DELHI, DEC. 24. The Hurriyat Conference today denied playing any ``mediatory role'' between India and Pakistan in resolving the Kashmir issue but said it wants to apply the ``keys with a purpose of unlocking the doors of goodwill and understanding.''

``I do not agree (to the role of a mediator), we are a party to a dispute and no party to a dispute can pass for a mediator. We would, however, as the principal party choose to apply keys with a purpose to unlocking the doors of goodwill and understanding,'' the Hurriyat chairman, Mr. Abdul Gani Bhat, told PTI over telephone from Srinagar.

About the conflicting signals emerging from the camp of the Hizb- ul-Mujahideen where a self-styled commander of the outfit demanded annexation of Kashmir with Pakistan, Mr. Bhat said ``everybody is onto himself. We should have a large heart in India and Pakistan because we are undertaking a stupendous task of easing out tension.''

The Hurriyat chairman, however, feels very encouraged with the recent developments of India announcing extension of ceasefire and Pakistan deciding to withdraw its troops from the Line of Control (LoC).

``Considering the positive steps, Pakistan has taken in response to Indian initiative, I feel encouraged to trust that whatever steps Pakistan is required to take, will be taken in the right earnest,'' Mr. Bhat said, adding ``a word in Delhi is transmuted into a deed in Islamabad.''

About a Hurriyat team going to Pakistan for holding talks with militant leaders, Mr. Bhat said ``the team is yet to be decided and the Government should now give us the travel documents.''

Team's Pak. visit

The former chairman, Mr. Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, has a passport while travel documents of the Jamaat-e-Islamia leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the People's Conference leader, Mr. Abdul Gani Lone, and the Shia leader, Maulana Abbas Ansari, have been impounded.

While Mr. Bhat had applied for a passport in 1994, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Mr. Yaseen Malik, applied for it this year.

Stressing the need for the Hurriyat delegation's visit to Pakistan, Mr. Bhat said ``I would very much want it because I think everything should go smoothly.'' Though Mr. Bhat remained tightlipped about the names of Hurriyat team members to visit Pakistan, insiders in the conference said ``a consensus has been arrived on the names of Mr. Bhat, Mr. Farooq and Mr. Malik.''

About the proposed visit to Pakistan and possible outcome, Mr. Bhat said ``the Hurriyat Conference has fairly and sufficiently expressed its willingness to travel to Pakistan not on a pleasure trip but to engage leaders of boys with guns. We will gleefully gear there throbbing heart and trust that they too will appreciate our anxiety to resolve the dispute through negotiations across the table and thus make sure that the peace process is not derailed.''

Asked whether the Hurriyat had hopes that militant leaders would listen to them as in past they had been criticising the amalgam leadership, Mr. Bhat said ``well, hope sustains life and we hope that if and when we find an opportunity to talk to them, they will also count the beats of our heart.''

The Hurriyat chairman expressed satisfaction that the ``governments in New Delhi and Islamabad have realised that there is just one alternative available which is the path of sanity.'' ``However, this path requires that the party to dispute not only exhibit deep sense of responsibility, but also explore the possibility of taking measured bigger steps,'' Bhat added.

He said that in this connection the Government should begin with lifting the ban on political activities on some of the constituents of the Hurriyat Conference.

Referring to remarks made by the Chief Minister, Mr. Farooq Abdullah, who termed the Hurriyat leaders as ``black crows'', Mr. Bhat said ``we do not change colours, white in Delhi, red in Jammu and green in Srinagar, like him.''

- PTI

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