Lucknow, July 16: Asserting that involvement of Hurriyat and other separatist leaders in talks on Kashmir was necessary, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today said that the time had come for the amalgam leaders to respond positively to the open invitation of Centre's interlocutor on Kashmir. "During my meetings with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Centre's interlocutor N N Vohra, I have told them about the necessity of involving Hurriyat leaders and other separatists in the dialogue," Sayeed told reporters here at a "meet the press" programme organised by Press Club of Lucknow.
Welcoming the statement of new Hurriyat chairman Moulvi Abbas Ansari to give peace a chance, Sayeed said, "Time has come to start dialogue with them also as they have not yet responded to open invitation for dialogue to everyone by the Centre's interlocutor." When asked specifically whether there would be any meaningful response on talks with separtists, he said, "I am hopeful of a breakthrough if an effort is made. The stalemate may not continue for long and some mechanism may come up for talks with them."
The chief minister said the Centre should also accelerate its efforts to rope in all sections of people in the talks to address the internal dimensions of Kashmir issue. Bureau Report