Geelani's dialogue proposal to resolve Kashmir issue hailed - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Senior Hurriyat leader Moulvi Abass Ansari on Saturday welcomed the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's support to dialogue as the mode to resolve the Kashmir issue. "I think he (Syed Ali Shah Geelani) might have realised that there is no other way to solve the problem rather than talks because so much destruction has been taking place in both India and Pakistan and the tension should be decreased... I believe that the solution to the Kashmir issue should be done through talks," said Ansari. "As I stated earlier that when India invited us for talks and when we were holding track-two dialogues with the Indian government, at that time Geelani was our Chairman. At that time we had asked Geelani to continue with the dialogues and he had taken us into confidence," he added. Geelani had on Thursday said Kashmir issue can be resolved through talks, if India is not prepared to implement the UN resolutions. Geelani had said his party was ready to hold talks and resolve the issue. "We have said that if India is not ready to implement the UN resolutions then this issue can be resolved through talks. We have brought this flexibility. What more flexibility can we bring " said Geelani. Geelani, however, blamed India of not being serious in carrying the talks forward. Geelani had hitherto been seeking self-determination for Kashmir in accordance with the UN resolutions. In 1948, the United Nations adopted a resolution setting the course for a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir to determine whether the Himalayan region should be part of India or Pakistan. Ties between the two neighbours nose-dived after 2008 November's Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people were killed and New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attacks.