New Delhi, Nov 11: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today denied media reports that there were "differences" within the council of ministers on the issue of Centre`s decision to hold talks with Hurriyat Conference. "There are no differences within the council of ministers on the issue of talks with the Hurriyat Conference. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani has been given the responsibility to hold parleys and on that basis the talks will take place,” Vajpayee told reporters at the airport here before emplaning for Moscow on the first leg of his three nation week-long visit to Russia, Tajikistan and Syria.

Asked if he had talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after the state assembly`s decision to jail six senior journalists, including five from `The Hindu` newspaper, Vajpayee said "I had no conversation with Jayalalithaa".

To another question on his views regarding the move to jail the journalists, he said "everybody should respect the Lakshman rekha".

In an apparent reference to the editor-in-chief of `The Hindu` N Ram, the Prime Minister said in a lighter vein "in Chennai Ram is living there".

Asked if he had any interaction with Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid after he inaugurated the Saarc information ministers conference this morning, Vajpayee said, "I just shook hands. Today there was no conversation".

He said, "it is good that the information ministers of Saarc countries are meeting and i have in my address given certain suggestions which can be pondered over by various countries".
Bureau Report