Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Tuesday welcomed the appointment of former Home Secretaryt N N Vohra as the Centre's interlocutor to hold discussions with elected representatives and other groups opposed to violence in the state.

He said Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchad Advani's announcement on Vohra's appointment is 'very good news' and 'provide a good opportunity' for a meaningful dialogue with the elected representatives and other sections of the people of the state.

Sayeed thanked Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for fulfilling the promise made to the people of the state from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence Day, and said the people of the state should avail this opportunity of dialogue to restore lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir with dignity.

"Dialogue is the essence of democracy... I hope that it [the talks by Vohra with representatives of Kashmiri people] will lead to end of violence and accelerate the process of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Meanwhile, political parties by and large welcomed the appointment even as the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference maintained a studied silence on the issue.

The National Conference welcomed the move and expressed hope that the separatists, who have been shying away from dialogue, would come forward and work for the restoration of peace in the state.

Party president Omar Abdullah said, "We hope that the new interlocutor will talk to all the sections of people and all shades of opinions and not just confine himself to mainstream political parties."

At the same time, the people of the state would like to know the fate of earlier interlocutors like K C Pant, Arun Jaitley and Ram Jethmalani, who held talks with the political and separatist groups in the state, Omar said.

Senior Congress leader Saif-ud-din Soz said Vohra's appointment was a 'good choice' as he had the requisite expertise, but what remained to be seen was 'the terms of reference set by the Centre'.

Hurriyat Conference Chairman Abdul Gani Bhat was not forthcoming for an immediate reaction, and said, "The executive group will sit and discuss the issue thread-bare." Asked when was the executive likely to meet, Bhat said, "Well, in next few days."

Issuing a statement in Srinagar, the amalgam hoped that a dialogue process would be set in motion to find a permanent and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the people of the state.