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Kashmir Committee invites Hurriyat, others for talks

The committee, which met at Jethmalani's residence, decided to invite the separatist leaders for talks in New Delhi to ensure the widest possible participation in the poll.

After a ninety-minute meeting, Jethmalani told reporters that the "committee is of the view that the announcement of the dates of the election in the state has complicated efforts to ensure the broadest possible political participation in the election process".

Jethmalani said the Hurriyat Conference had also expressed doubts about being able to arrange their logistics in the short span of time available.

Appealing to the Hurriyat and others to explore all possibilities for their participation in the poll, Jethmalani said the committee "is convinced that the present opportunity should not be missed to find a durable solution to the Kashmir issue, particularly since the international community has expressed its continuing concern over the tensions in the region".

Jethmalani said the committee believed that "it is still not late for the government to persuade as many political elements as possible to take part in the election and to convince them that polls will be free, fair and transparent".

Both Shah and Hurriyat Conference spokesman Abdul Majid Bandey have welcomed the formation of the Kashmir Committee and hoped that it would work in line with the aspirations of the people of the state.

Shah, who heads the Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, told the Press Trust of India on the telephone from Srinagar that the committee should rope in as many separatists as possible to find a meaningful and lasting solution to the Kashmir problem.

He said he was ready for a dialogue if a formal invitation was forthcoming from the committee. "The Centre and the Pakistan government should allow the Kashmir committees on both sides of the border to interact with each other and help evolve a solution for lasting peace in the state," he said.

He also extended an invitation to all members of the committee to visit Kashmir and assess the situation.

Welcoming the committee's formation, Bandey said the Hurriyat had expressed complete faith in it as it was not a government committee, but formed by noted intellectuals in their individual capacity.

PTI

ALSO SEE:
Announcement of J&K election was hasty: Jethmalani

Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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