J&K interlocutors make fresh offer to separatists

September 18, 2011 03:22 am | Updated August 04, 2016 12:01 am IST - Jammu

The Central interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday made a fresh offer to the separatists for talks and said it was ready for a dialogue even at this hour.

The interlocutors however said non-engagement of separatists will not make any difference to the final report to be submitted to the Centre. The report is expected to be submitted before October 12 when the panel’s term comes to an end.

“We reiterate that even at this hour if there is any sign that we get from the separatists that they wish to talk to us, we shall be pleased to do so anywhere, anytime and under any condition,” Dileep Padgaonkar, head of the 3-member team told a press conference flanked by former Chief Information Commissioner M.M. Ansari and academician Radha Kumar.

“Will the fact that they (separatists) did not engage with us, make a big difference to the report? The answer is no. It won’t. Because we have a fair idea what the factions of Hurriyat Conference and separatists stand for,” he said when asked whether the absence of the separatists will have an impact on the team’s report.

Asserting that no political solution to the Kashmir problem was possible till aspirations of people in all three regions of the State were addressed, Mr. Padgaonkar said they would not look for a resolution from the prism of any region or community.

“It is very clear that no resolution is possible till aspirations of the people in all the three regions and its sub-regions are properly addressed,” he said.

“We will like the state to remain one piece -- united, but at the same time we will like the interests, concerns, grievances and aspirations of the people of all regions and sub-regions to be properly addressed,” Mr. Padgaonkar said.

On the issue of mass graves in Kashmir, Mr. Padgaonkar said they had made recommendations to the Centre and that it would be addressed by government with “absolute sincerity and sensitivity“.

To a question on the Afzal Guru issue, Mr. Padgaonkar said it will have no bearing on their final recommendations to the government, maintaining that a final decision on the mercy petition of the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru rests with the President.

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