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Shah wants unity among separatists ahead of talks with Centre
Srinagar, Dec 02: Continuing his efforts to unite the separatist camp ahead of proposed talks with the Centre, Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Ahmad Shah today said all leaders should talk with one voice as hopes have been raised about a solution to the Kashmir issue.
He said the latest developments in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan had raised hopes of a possible solution to the Kashmir issue.
The two countries have been making steady improvement in bilateral ties, Shah said adding now it is the turn of Kashmiri leaders to play their role in resolution of the issue.
Shah said he had been in constant touch with leaders of both factions of the Hurriyat in his endeavour to unite all leaders and so far the response was encouraging. In an apparent reference to Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Jamaat-e-Islami and People's League, Shah said some important members claim to be neutral to the Hurriyat split. "I don't get this. Everybody has to be clear in their stand."
However, he said "my efforts should not be construed as an attempt to rejoin the Hurriyat. I have neither supported Syed Ali Shah Geelani nor Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari."
Shah, however, said he would not hesitate to get back
into the conglomerate if his suggestions for its
reorganisation and reshaping were implemented.
He was expelled from Hurriyat Conference in 1995 during
chairmanship of Geelani, after he met US ambassador to India
Frank Wisner against the dictum of the amalgam.
On the roadmap proposed by the Ansari faction, he said no
proposal is practicable unless it has the approval of the
three regions of the state.
"The house has to be united on something as major as the
resolution of Kashmir issue. No party or a group of parties
can take the decision on their own without taking other
parties into confidence," Shah added.
Bureau Report