The Hindu : Geelani for trilateral talks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 13, 2003

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National

Geelani for trilateral talks

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR DEC. 12. The chairman of the breakaway group of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said today that he was not against a dialogue on Kashmir but wanted India to first talk to Pakistan. Later, both the countries should invite the Kashmiri leadership for trilateral talks.

"We are not against a dialogue, but it should be aimed at resolving the Kashmir issue and India should first talk to Pakistan," Mr. Geelani said, addressing a seminar to commemorate the death anniversary of the Mahaz-e-Azadi leader, Sofi Muhammad Akbar.

He said India and Pakistan should involve the Kashmiri leadership at a later stage. Terming the "roadmap" of the APHC headed by Maulana Abbas Ansari as "made in India", he said Kashmiris had always been `betrayed' by the leadership. He vowed to continue his struggle for freedom "even if he had to go to the gallows like Maqbool Bhat."

In a veiled attack on the Ansari faction of the Hurriyat Conference, he said: "The Hurriyat's constitution is clear and unambiguous and, in fact, it is the roadmap. Why should people talk of any other roadmap? This roadmap is made in India and that is why they (Ansari group) are showing it first to the West."

He welcomed the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's decision to visit Pakistan to attend the SAARC summit.

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