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Farooq to be back before summit

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is presently in London with his family, is likely to return to the troubled state in the first week of July.

Earlier reports in Srinagar had said that Dr Abdullah would return only in the last week of July in view of the Vajpayee-Musharraf summit at Agra.

However on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Commerce Omar Abdullah told rediff.com that Dr Abdullah would return to Srinagar in the first week of July.

"He is returning in the first week and not after the Agra summit," Omar said.

He said that the purpose of 'my father's visit to London was to meet the family. My sister has completed her graduation and my father had to attend the annual function."

He said that Dr Abdullah will attend the all-party meeting convened by the prime minister before his talks with Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

"He will attend the meeting if we are invited," Omar said.

Dr Abdullah has been in the forefront of a hard-hitting campaign against Pakistan, seeking vacation of Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Considering the reconciliatory atmosphere building up between the two countries, party insiders say, the chief minister has been 'advised to restrain from making any statements that could vitiate the dialogue process between the two countries'.

Omar said that his party, National Conference, had asked its workers to brace themselves for assembly elections, which are likely to be announced any time. He, however, denied being a contender for the post of chief minister.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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