M A I N   N E W S

Govt ‘ready for’ talks with Kashmiris
Tribune News Service

AHGAM (PULWAMA), May 7 — The Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, said here today that the government would decide about a formal offer of talks to the Hurriyat Conference to restore peace in Kashmir.

"All the moment what has been done is to create a climate in which if any section of the Kashmiri population wishes to discuss issues with the Government of India, discussions can take place", Mr Advani said in reply to a question. He evaded further queries from media-persons after the inaugural function of "Sadbhavana Middle School" established by the Army.

Mr Advani said the decision to create a climate for talks was taken because after the Kargil conflict the government had made a serious effort to have talks with Pakistan, which had been accepted by the international community. "As far as the talks with Pakistan are concerned they should follow". As far as our own people in Jammu and Kashmir are concerned, the approach has to be different", Mr Advani said. It was in pursuant of this approach that the decision was taken to release the APHC leaders. The Home Minister did not reply to the question whether the APHC leaders had been approached in any way.

Earlier, in his address after, formally dedicating the middle school to the people of the state, Mr Advani blamed Pakistan for creating trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. He said India had extended its hand of friendship to Pakistan with the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Lahore bus yatra, which was negated by Pakistan through the Kargil intrusion.

Pakistan "committed yet another blunder" by the killing of 35 Sikhs in Chitti Singhpora in Anantnag district on March 20. He said adding the US President, Mr Bill Clinton, who at that time was on tour of the South Asia, had commented that it was because of him. Pakistan wanted to "internationalise" the Kashmir issue, but "its terrorism was internationalised with such acts", Mr Advani said.

The Union Home Minister, who was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister lauded the role of the Army in rebuilding the village. The village was heavily damaged in one of longest ever encounters between the militants and the security forces in April 1998. Mr Advani said while the troops fought the armed militants, they equally played their role in showing the "human face" to the people.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, in his address held it was not an end to the terrorism in Kashmir. "It (Pakistan) continues to send militants from across the border and create trouble in the valley", he commented. He cautioned people against the continued evil designs of militants having their mentors across the border. The Chief Minister expressed the hope that friendship between the two countries would be restored.