The Hindu : Jethmalani panel to visit Kashmir from Nov. 21

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

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Jethmalani panel to visit Kashmir from Nov. 21

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 14. The Kashmir Committee, headed by Ram Jethmalani, is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir from November 21 and proposes to resume its efforts during its four-day stay in the State.

The decision to visit Srinagar was taken after an invitation from the Hurriyat chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, and a similar request from Shabir Shah, another prominent separatist leader. Interestingly enough, only yesterday Yasin Malik, a senior member of the Hurriyat Conference, had openly questioned the sincerity of the Kashmir Committee and of its chairman, Mr. Jethmalani.

The Kashmir Committee is reported to be keen on assessing for itself the new mood after the Assembly elections, which saw the ouster of the National Conference.

The defeat of the National Conference has constrained all "players'' in and out of the Valley to reassess their understanding of how the "Kashmir problem'' was to be "solved.''

Mr. Jethmalani is due to return in a day or two from Washington, where he has held discussions with the senior officials in the State Department, including with the Assistant Secretary, Christina Rocca.

He hopes to share his perceptions of the American thinking with the leaders of the separatist camp.

Notwithstanding Mr. Yasin Malik's outburst against Mr. Jethmalani, it is pointed out that the former Union Law Minister was currently being escorted around Washington by Mr. Malik's "diplomatic'' representative, Usman Majid.

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