Hurriyat repeats conditions for dialogue with government

Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq Monday said the best way to resolve the Kashmir issue was a trilateral dialogue between India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir, setting to rest speculation of an imminent dialogue between separatists and the union government.

"The Hurriyat conference believes there are only two ways to resolve the Kashmir problem - one is to implement the UN Security Council's resolutions on Kashmir and the other is a trilateral dialogue between India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir," the Mirwaiz told media persons after a meeting of the group's executive here.

He said that so far as talks between the Kashmiri leaders and India was concerned, the group has already laid down conditions for such a dialogue to become result-oriented.

"We have already stated that for a dialogue with the Indian government, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and other draconian laws must be revoked.

"Bunkers and watch towers must be removed, jailed separatist leaders must be released and restrictions like house arrest etc. imposed on us must be lifted," the chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group said.

He, however, reiterated that the Hurriyat conference would associate with any mechanism devised by India and Pakistan that could lead to the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

The statement by the Mirwaiz has finally set to rest media speculation that a renewed dialogue engagement between the moderate separatist leaders and the central government was imminent.