Srinagar: PDP on Monday welcomed Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh`s offer to hold talks with all groups in Jammu
and Kashmir and said separatists should grab the opportuntiy
to present their viewpoint in resolving the Kashmir issue.
"Talks should be result-oriented for resolution of the
issue. Separatists should take advantage of the offer and
present their viewpoint for resolution of the Kashmir issue,"
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here.
She was reacting to Prime Minister`s statement during a
press conference in New Delhi that his government was ready to
hold talks with all groups in the state which are outside the
political mainstream, provided they shun violence.
Singh said, "I would once again like to appeal to all
elements in Jammu and Kashmir that our government is ready for
a dialogue provided that all these groups which are outside
the political mainstream shed the path of violence."
Asked how serious was the offer of the prime minister,
the PDP chief said, "Prime Minister is serious about talks."
Asked about moderate Hurriyat Conference` claim that it
has already submitted proposals for resolution of Kashmir
issue to the Centre while the prime minister had stated that
the Union Government has not received the same, Mehbooba said
"there is a trust deficit. They (Centre) don`t trust us. We
(people of Kashmir) don`t trust them as the leadership had
made U-turns since 1947".
About moderate faction leader Mirwais Umer Farooq`s
recent statement that there was no dialogue "quiet or open"
going on between the Centre and the separatists, Mehbooba said
"They (Centre) know how to approach for talks. They are
holding talks with several groups in the country".
Meanwhile, the CPI-M termed Singh`s offer as "timely",
and appealed all parties to join the talks.
"We appeal all parties to come forward and join the
talks," its state secretary M Y Tarigami said at a party
convention in Shopian district.
He also asked the Centre to devise credible mechanism
for making the dialogue process "sustainable and result-
oriented".
PTI
