The Hindu : National : Ready for talks if invitation comes from Centre: Geelani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004

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National

Ready for talks if invitation comes from Centre: Geelani

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, JUNE 15. The hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, today said that it was ready to discuss an invitation for talks if it was extended by the Central Government. However, it reiterated that India and Pakistan should treat Kashmir as a core issue.

Mr. Geelani, the chairman of this faction, told a news conference here that he was not averse to a dialogue but said "it has to be result-oriented." In a departure from his stance, he said "if it [invitation] comes, we will discuss it in the general council and take a decision accordingly." Expressing pessimism over the ongoing dialogue between the Abbas-led Hurriyat and New Delhi, Mr. Geelani said: "it will end nowhere but in an accord like in 1975." "We are for peace. We are a peace-loving people but peace cannot be achieved until and unless the bottlenecks in the way of peace are removed."

Mr. Geelani said: "If you want peace, pull back your troops to the barracks, release detenus without any condition and revoke the Disturbed Areas Act." The Government of India should accept Kashmir as a dispute and revoke the 1995 resolution of Parliament that termed Kashmir as an integral part of India," Mr. Geelani demanded. "It is not just a border dispute but involves the fate of 13 million people across the State and spread in two countries." India and Pakistan should treat Kashmir as a core issue in their talks and not as secondary to nuclear and other issues, he added.

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