Interlocutors to visit Kashmir Valley today
By ANISaturday, October 23, 2010
NEW DELHI - The three interlocutors appointed by he Central Government to seek out various shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, are scheduled to visit the Kashmir Valley today.
Senior journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and Central Information Commissioner M. M. Ansari met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday here.
Padgaonkar said the Prime Minister wanted the interlocutors to discuss all issues with the people of Kashmir.
“The Prime Minister reiterated the support of the government and of the political leadership at the highest levels for the work that has been entrusted to us. The Prime Minister then reiterated to us how important it was to approach all shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, to talk, in particular, with the youth, with the women of the state,” said Padgaonkar.
Padgaonkar further said Dr Singh has asked the interlocutors to handle the issue sensitively, considering all the internal and external aspects.
“He emphasized that the way of looking at Kashmir obviously differed from region to region in the State, that we should be sensitive, therefore, to all aspects, the internal aspects as well as the external aspects of the situation in Kashmir,” said Padgaonkar.
“We told him about the discussions we already had and informed him that we would be going to Srinagar at the earliest. We are working out the modalities. He reiterated to us that he would be pleased to receive us, whenever we would like to share with him the information and the insights that we gather,” he added.
Radha Kumar added that the Prime Minister wanted the interlocutors to initiate a process in which the dissident groups would come to the table for a dialogue.
“The Prime Minister stressed the importance of finding a political solution that this does have to be a comprehensive solution, then it must take in to account aspirations in Jammu and Kashmir, and that he discussed great lengths with us, the progress that had been made in previous peace initiatives,” said Kumar.(ANI)
