SRINAGAR: Ruling out involving gun-wielding youth in the ongoing peace process, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said unless the militants eschewed violence, no talks would be held with them. "In a democracy, talks can be held only with persons who abjure violence," he said after taking the salute at a passing out parade by CRPF recruits here. Mr. Azad, however, asked separatists to participate in the round-table conference on Kashmir if they were truly the well-wishers of the people.

The Chief Minister was critical of the talks held with the frontline militant outfit, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in 2000. "It was shameful on the part of the then elected representatives to hold dialogue with masked militants who didn't show their face at the table."

Ultras have masters across LoC

Replying to a question on the presence of several militant groups in the region, Mr. Azad said they were operating at the behest of their masters across the Line of Control. "The militants also comprise foreigners." Referring to his statement that the invitees' list for the second round-table conference, scheduled here for May, would be further pruned, the Chief Minister said: "The Government's main aim is to stress quality rather than quantity."

Mr. Azad discussed the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and told him that the number of participants would be minimised. "We will try to make the conference as small and meaningful as possible." The Government would not invite parties or groups which are supported by just two or three members.

Asked whether the All Parties Hurriyat Conference faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq would attend, the Chief Minister said: "It is the right time for parties which claim to represent the people's aspirations to participate."

On Friday's serial bomb blasts in Srinagar, Mr. Azad said the incidents were the handiwork of "mischievous elements." "Our Government is trying to bring normalcy as talks are going on. Asked why the blasts occurred though closed-circuit television cameras were installed in the city, the Chief Minister said he had asked security agencies to look into the matter. "I have told them to see whether the machines were functioning at that moment or not."

Mr. Azad said 3,000 Kashmiri youths were already recruited to the Central Reserve Police Force and 2,000 were in the process of being selected. "The recruitment is in accordance with the Government's multipronged strategy to tackle unemployment."

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