Not against dialogue, says Kashmir separatist leader

Chairman of the hard-line faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday said he was not against the dialogue process on Kashmir issue but it should be aimed at finding a permanent solution.

Geelani's statement came in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal for dialogue with separatists and other groups for peace in the state.

"I am not against the dialogue process. I have kept my doors open for a meaningful dialogue aimed at finding the resolution of Kashmir issue through United Nations resolutions," Geelani said while addressing a public meeting at Baramulla, 55 kms from Srinagar.

The Hurriyat leader, whose call for a strike on Friday, in support of the demand for withdrawal of troops, evoked a full response in North Kashmir, said, "Bilateral talks between India and Pakistan, and New Delhi and Kashmiris have been held a number of times over the past six decades but failed to resolve the Kashmir issue."

"Kashmir is the core issue between the two countries and the Indian leadership is on record having promised the right of self-determination to us. There are also UN resolutions guaranteeing the right of self-determination to Kashmiris."

He said talks would be a futile exercise unless India accepts Kashmir as a disputed territory, withdraws its troops and releases political prisoners.

"These are not the pre-conditions but a necessity for making the talks result-oriented," he said.

Geelani also called for tripartite talks involving India, Pakistan and Kashmiris, to chalk out ways and means for implementation of the right to self-determination.

The Hurriyat leader on October 23 launched a campaign from Shopian district to press for withdrawal of troops from the state. Referring to the situation in Pakistan, Geelani criticised the activities of the Tehrik-e-Talban.

"What is happening in Pakistan at present is heart rendering. We believe that the crisis in the country is the outcome of a conspiracy hatched by anti-Muslim lobbies at the international level to destabilise the nuclear Muslim nation," he said.

Taliban is not Islam and their activities are anti-Islamic, he added.