Involve us in talks: Hurriyat to India, Pak

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday demanded its inclusion in any dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The separatist outfit said any talks without its involvement was bound to fail. "We are a principal party to the Kashmir dispute," Hurriyat chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat told a meeting at the Eidgah in Srinagar on the occasion of the 13th death anniversary of Mirwaiz Mohammed Farooq and the first death anniversary of Abdul Gani Lone.

Bhat said the amalgam was ready to hold talks with the Centre, but at a 'higher level' than N N Vohra, who is the Union government's interlocutor. "We see it at the level of Prime Ministers (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee and (Mir Zafarullah Khan) Jamali," he said.

"Kashmir issue will be resolved ... it may take six months, a year or two, but its time has come. I want to assure you that whatever decision we at Hurriyat Conference will take it will be according to your wishes and aspirations," he told the 5,000-strong audience.

Bhat said an armed conflict cannot resolve issues between India and Pakistan. "Both the countries are nuclear powers and in case of a conflict, they would wipe themselves out from the world map," he said.

Addressing the separatist camp across the border, Bhat said, "We have to speak with one voice as we are entering a decisive phase, which could lead to resolution of Kashmir issue."