The Hindu : High expectations over Hurriyat-Advani meeting

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 07, 2004

National

National

High expectations over Hurriyat-Advani meeting

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JAN. 6. With the SAARC summit witnessing India and Pakistan warming up to each other, there are high expectations of a meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

Authoritative sources indicated that though the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance Government appears to have its hands full as the possibility of an early Lok Sabha election looks a certainty, the thinking is to go ahead with a dialogue with the Hurriyat to display its sincerity over the issue. The Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir, N.N. Vohra, had met Mr. Advani yesterday and apprised him of the latest developments in the State. The subject of a dialogue with the Hurriyat is also learnt to have come for discussion. It was felt that the issue would be discussed with the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after he returned from Islamabad and a decision taken on the time for inviting the Hurriyat for discussions. The groundwork is being done by a core sub-committee, comprising top officials from the Intelligence Bureau, Home Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office.

Sources have also taken note of the recent developments within the Hurriyat, with the Jamaat-e-Islami walking out of the conglomerate. They were of the view that the Jamaat's decision not to join the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat was a positive development. Though there is no timetable for the proposed dialogue with the Hurriyat, the possibility of the process being dragged on to the next fortnight was not ruled out, as the BJP would get busy with its national executive on January 11.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National