The Hindu : Front Page : No limiting factor: Mufti

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Saturday, Apr 22, 2006

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No limiting factor: Mufti

Srinagar: Disagreeing with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's assertion that there would be no talks with gun-wielding militants, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Friday said the dialogue process on Kashmir must be expanded in its scope and strengthened in its content.

"The dialogue process needs to be expanded in its scope and strengthened in its content. There should be no limiting factor in involving all parties concerned in finding a lasting solution to the problems of Jammu and Kashmir," Mr. Sayeed said, addressing a public rally at Pattan.

Path-breaking initiative

Mr. Azad, addressing a function here on April 17, ruled out talks with gun-wielding militants and termed the talks between the BJP-led NDA Government and militants in 2000 as a "shame on democracy." He said the dialogue process started by the NDA Government was a path-breaking initiative as it was then that the Government approached the problems in a pragmatic way by inviting militants to the negotiating table for the first time.

"It was sad that the process could not be carried forward for various reasons, but it is still important to involve the entire spectrum of separatist players, including militants, in the process," Mr. Sayeed said, adding there should be no "untouchability" in the process.

He appreciated the Centre's continued emphasis on finding a negotiated settlement to the problem, saying the strength of the present peace process was that two successive Prime Ministers A. B. Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh had led this personally and created a consensus for peace in the sub-continent.

Mr. Sayeed said militants should respond to this new situation in an appropriate manner. He said it was a positive development that the separatists interacted with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf like the mainstream parties of the State, but there was no logic in their spurning the Prime Minister's offer for a similar exercise.— PTI

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