The Hindu : National : Sajjad Lone looks forward to positive impact of dialogue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006

National

National

Sajjad Lone looks forward to positive impact of dialogue

Shujaat Bukhari

``An all-inclusive dialogue on the Kashmir issue needed''

SRINAGAR: Terming his recent talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "positive and satisfactory," Sajjad Lone, chairman of a faction of the People's Conference, on Monday predicted that something concrete would come out of the dialogue the Centre was having with the Kashmiri leaders.

At a news conference here, Mr. Lone declined to divulge the details of the dialogue he recently had with the Prime Minister to maintain what he called the "sanctity of dialogue."

Regarding the possible solution to the Kashmir issue, he said: "The solution has to be other than status quo, complete merger with either India or Pakistan and autonomy."

Advocating an all-inclusive dialogue on the Kashmir issue, he said: "I don't represent the Jammu Kashmir State on the whole. I have made it clear that I represent a section." At the same time, he did not favour separatists holding a joint dialogue with the Centre. "That is not possible because it is difficult to have a consensus first."

He hoped that the dialogue would gain credibility in due course of time. However, he refused to comment on his estranged brother Bilal Lone's remarks, saying that dialogue was heading nowhere.

About involving militants in the talks, Mr. Lone said it was for gun-wielding youth to decide.

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