NEW DELHI, July 29 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee today met leaders from Jammu and Kashmir including the state Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

During a half-hour-long meeting this morning, Dr Abdullah informed the Prime Minister of the latest political and security scenario in the state while Mr Vajpayee apprised the Chief Minister of the Centre’s moves to initiate talks.

Dr Abdullah said after the meeting that the National Conference welcomed any move aimed at restoring peace and ending the gun culture. The very fact that the Hizbul Mujahideen is offering to participate in talks indicates that even Islamabad wants peace along the borders, Dr Abdullah said. “I am in favour of Indo-Pak talks”, he said in reply to a question.

With a view to counter hardliners within the BJP as well as in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Principal Secretary, Mr Brajesh Mishra, made a guarded statement saying that any representative of the Government cannot act outside the Constitution. He ruled out tripartite talks involving Pakistan, but said that the Centre was willing to talk to the APHC.

Dr Abdullah’s talks with Mr Vajpayee followed a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence last night to take a comprehensive view of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and extend an invitation to the Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen and other militant outfits for talks with the Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pandey.

With reference to the modalities for talks, Mr Mishra said that the Hizbul and the APHC should first contact the Home Secretary for working out the details.

Dr Abdullah, who has been touring various southern and eastern states to garner support on the autonomy issue, also apprised the Prime Minister of the opinion of various leaders on the issue.