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| Omar wants Kashmir figuring in Indo-Pak talks | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
srinagar, June 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed hope that the Kashmir issue will figure in the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan tomorrow.
"I am heartened that India and Pakistan dialogue is continuing. We hope that Kashmir does find a mention during the talks as part of comprehensive dialogue and not as one-off," Omar told reporters here.
Omar said he does not expect a solution to the Kashmir issue to come from tomorrow's meeting but expressed hope that the engagement with Pakistan will continue.
There were apprehensions that the peace talks could be derailed in the wake of killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and revelations made by LeT operative David Headley during the trial of the Mumbai attack co-accused Tahawwur Rana, the chief minister said.
Omar, however, said the day is not far when a solution will be found to the Kashmir issue.
"If we continue the political dialogue with Pakistan (on Kashmir), the day is not far that we will be able to resolve the issue," he said.
Omar said election is not the solution to the Kashmir issue. "It (Kashmir issue) cannot be resolved through Panchayat polls and I am the first one to admit that the Kashmir problem should be addressed politically," the Chief Minister said.
On the internal initiatives for resolution of the Kashmir issue, he said the Centre has appointed interlocutors who are interacting with a cross section of the society.
"We are keeping the window of opportunity open for widening the dialogue. Barring a key separatist leader, others have not come forward yet. It is not a permanently open window. It will close some time," Omar said on the refusal of separatists to engage with the interlocutors.
The Chief Minister said separatists should engage with the interlocutors as they did with Kashmir Committee led by Ram Jethmalani.
"If they can meet with Jethmalani-led committee, which can give nothing except hollow words, why can't they meet the interlocutors who have no red lines on their recommendations they make," he asked.
Responding to a question about setting up of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as promised by him during the 2008 election campaign, Omar said he still believed such a step would be the biggest Confidence Building Measure (CBM) between India and Pakistan.
"India and Pakistan will have to agree on setting up the Commission and I hope they will talk (during the scheduled meeting tomorrow) about it too," he said.
On the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state, the Chief Minister said the government should be able to move forward on the issue by year-end.
"The two committees formed to look into the areas where AFSPA could be revoked have not submitted their reports yet," Omar said.
In response to another question on the stand of his party National Conference on restoration of autonomy to the state, he said he was not authorised to speak on the issue as he was no longer the NC chief.
"I am here in the capacity of Chief Minister and not authorised to speak on this issue. Only National Conference President (Farooq Abdullah) or party spokesman can answer this question," Omar said. |
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