The Hindu : Hurriyat for triangular talks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 20, 2002

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Hurriyat for triangular talks

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR June 19. The All-Party Hurriyat Conference today floated a new idea to begin the process for resolving the Kashmir issue. Instead of tripartite talks, its chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, favoured triangular talks simultaneously with New Delhi and Islamabad.

He also put in abeyance its "election commission'' given the "stubborn attitude of the Government of India''.

``It will be triangular talks instead of tripartite. Modalities for such a process can be worked out,'' Prof. Bhat told a news conference here, adding "we can talk to India first and then go to Pakistan for a dialogue''.

Referring to the Hurriyat general council meeting on Monday, he said "all members favoured talks to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully''.

Reiterating his demand for allowing the Hurriyat leaders to visit Pakistan to build a consensus, he hoped that "that can ultimately lead to a breakthrough on the vexed Kashmir issue''. "We had proposed to the Government of India to allow some leaders to visit Pakistan for building a consensus, but they did not agree. Then we mooted a plan called 4:3. That means that four executive committee members would talk to New Delhi and three talk to Islamabad simultaneously to break the ice on Kashmir. This too was not accepted. Now we are saying let them allow us to visit Pakistan and talk to the militant leadership for the cessation of hostilities."

Outlining the proposals, Prof. Bhat said that all the forces, including the Army, should be withdrawn and sent to the barracks, the role of gun should be stopped, human rights violations put to an end and all the detainees released.

Efforts should be made for the safe return of the Kashmiri Pandits. Besides, the ban on public meetings should be lifted, and restrictions on the movement of leaders removed.

"These proposals are necessary for creating a conducive atmosphere. If they are accepted, we may go for rapprochement and start this exercise afresh.''

He said the Hurriyat had set up a "people's election commission'' on January 28, for holding polls to determine the representative character of the separatists, but it was rejected on the floor of Parliament.

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