Hurriyat to depute Lone for meeting with Annan

Hurriyat to depute Lone for meeting with Annan
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

SRINAGAR, MARCH 12: Hurriyat Conference today decided to depute its senior member Abdul Ghani Lone, considered a moderate, to New Delhi to explore possibiliies of a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan during his visit to the Union capital.

The conglomerate of 23 separatist groups, whose executive council met here today to discuss Annan's statement ruling out implementation of UN resolutions for resolving the Kashmir issue, said Lone had been asked to seek a meeting with the Secretary-General during his stay in New Delhi.

``If the meeting between the Hurriyat Conference and the UN chief becomes possible, he would be informed about the wishes of the people of Kashmir and human rights' violations taking place in the state,'' a statement issued after a marathon meeting said.

The statement said the meeting also discussed the recent statement by Union Home Minister L K Advani ruling out any mediatory role for the Hurriyat and delay in issuance of passports to a Hurriyat delegation named to visit Pakistan, besides organisational matters.

On Advani's statement, the Hurriyat said the conglomerate had offered to visit Pakistan not as a mediator. ``But being the basic party to the Kashmir issue, the Hurriyat has taken the step to initiate the process of dialogue,'' it said.

It said the visit of the Hurriyat delegation to Pakistan would be an ``important step'' for the resolution of the Kashmir issue and restoration of peace in the sub-continent.

``However, the delay by the Centre in issuing the travel documents to the Hurriyat delegation left the visit hanging and created a feeling among the Kashmiris that India, while talking of peace, was creating hurdles in the peace process,'' the Hurriyat statement said.

Regarding organisational matters, the statement said the Hurriyat executive stressed the need for unity among all the constituents of the conglomerate.

``In the larger interests, all the differences would be resolved through consultations,'' the statement added.

Significantly, Jamaat-e-Islami representative Syed Ali Shah Geelani, considered a hardliner, did not attend the meeting of the seven-member council. A Hurriyat spokesman said the Jamaat representative had not been invited for the meet.

Hurriyat had recently requested the Jamaat to replace Geelani with some other member in the executive council as he had been creating ``indiscipline''. The request was, however, turned down by the Jamaat.

Geelani, meanwhile, held a separate press conference today but refused to comment on his not being invited to the Hurriyat meeting, saying, ``It is no issue.''

On why the Hurriyat sought his replacement, Geelani said, ``indiscipline'' has been stated as the reason.