The Hindu : National : Emissary holds talks with Hurriyat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 30, 2005

National

National

Emissary holds talks with Hurriyat

Shujaat Bukhari

Bid to resume stalled dialogue process with the moderate faction of the Hurriyat

SRINAGAR: The stalled dialogue process between the Centre and the moderate faction of the Hurriyat may resume with Union Secretary Wajahat Habibullah holding detailed meetings with the Hurriyat chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on evolving a mechanism for the resumption of talks.

Mr Habibullah, a senior IAS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, has served as Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, during the Hazratbal crisis. He has been continuously in touch with his friends in Kashmir and has been involved in back channel talks with the separatists in the past as well. A well-respected officer, he has always been given audience by the separatists. That is why he is functioning as special emissary of New Delhi.

The Mirwaiz himself said that the talks for beginning the formal dialogue process with New Delhi are on. He did not specify the details nor referred to his meeting with Mr. Habibullah. "Kashmir issue cannot be resolved overnight. It is a time consuming process," he said. But he indicated Hurriyat's willingness to resume talks.

The former Hurriyat chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, said there is no deadlock in the talks. "We have completed one step. The second step is in progress," Prof. Bhat told The Hindu . He said the details of the discussions between the Mirwaiz and Mr. Habibullah would be debated at a general council meeting in the next few days. "Then we will formulate a strategy," he said.

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

National