The Hindu : Involve all in talks, says Mufti

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

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National

Involve all in talks, says Mufti

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU, FEB. 24. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, today said that there was a need to involve all sections of society in the dialogue process to arrive at an amicable solution to the Kashmir dispute."The issue of Jammu and Kashmir is a complicated problem and it needs to be resolved with lot of patience. I have conveyed to the Central Government that I am not a solution, and a dialogue process has to be started with every section of society. A rapport has to be struck and the right approach is to address the internal and external dimensions of the problem. It goes to the credit of the Central Government that it is going on the right path by starting a dialogue with Pakistan on the one hand and with the separatists on the other," the Mufti said in the Legislative Council while presenting the vote of thanks to the Governor's address.

The security forces, he said, were doing a commendable job in fighting terrorism but "due care is to be taken not to harm any innocent civilians."

He asked the Opposition parties to realise that "while the Army and other security forces were accountable to the people, the youth who had picked up the gun were not.A distinction has to be made between the two." The Mufti also lauded the Army for being responsive to the people's problems.

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