Separatist leader Geelani ready to hold talks on Kashmir
By ANIThursday, March 4, 2010
SRINAGAR - Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Thursday said Kashmir issue can be resolved through talks, if India is not prepared to implement the UN resolutions.
Geelani said his party was ready to hold talks and resolve the issue.
“We have said that if India is not ready to implement the UN resolutions then this issue can be resolved through talks. We have brought this flexibility. What more flexibility can we bring ” said Geelani.
Geelani, however, blamed India of not being serious in carrying the talks forward.
“Wajahat Habibullah (Chief Information Commissioner, Kashmir) had come. He then asked me to hold talks with P. Chidambaram (Home Minister). I told him when we had started the talks in the capacity of APHC chairman, with him then why didn’t you come for the third round of talks? And then RK Mishra and Admiral Nair we had two rounds of talks with them, so if you want to continue the talks then why didn’t you come for the third round of talks? Nobody in India is ready to talk or to resolve the issue,” said Geelani.
Geelani had hitherto been seeking self-determination for Kashmir in accordance with the UN resolutions.
In 1948, the United Nations adopted a resolution setting the course for a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir to determine whether the Himalayan region should be part of India or Pakistan.
Ties between the two neighbours nose-dived after 2008 November’s Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people were killed and New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attacks. (ANI)
