The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, August 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Kashmir panel meets Shabir
Centre ready for talks with J&K leaders
Tribune News Service and PTI

The seven-member delegation of Kashmir Committee led by its Chairman Ram Jethmalani (fourth from right) with senior Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah (fourth from left) for talks to resolve the Kashmir issue. Supreme Court lawyer Ashok Bhan (first from left) introduces members of the committee to Shah at his residence at Sanatnagar in Srinagar on Friday. — PTI photo

Srinagar, August 16
With just a week left for the notification of the Assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir, the committee headed by Mr Ram Jethmalani today launched its key initiative holding talks with senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah and declaring the Centre was ready to hold dialogue with J and K leadership “at any place and at any time”.

“On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, the committee has the authority to tell the leadership of Jammu and Kashmir that the government is ready for a dialogue at any time at a place of their choice on any issue that is relevant to the resolution of the Kashmir issue and the holding of elections,” Mr Jethmalani told reporters after a four-hour meeting with the JKDFP leader.

Shah, who was present during the press briefing, said “We have accepted the offer for a dialogue from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his deputy L.K. Advani extended by Ram Jethmalani today.”

However, he said the talks would be meaningful and progress further only if all political prisoners, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, were released. The talks are being held ahead of the Assembly elections even as the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has criticised the authenticity of the Kashmir Committee to hold dialogue with the separatist leaders.