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Invite to Hurriyat a non-issue: Congress

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

Congress politician Manmohan Singh, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said in Bangalore on Wednesday that his party does not seen anything wrong in leaders of the separatist All-Parties Hurriyat Conference meeting Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to India.

"While we agree with the Indian government that Hurriyat has no role to play in the summit meeting between the two leaders, we don't think much significance needs to be attached to Musharraf's invitation to Hurriyat leaders for meeting him over tea," Dr Singh said.

Pointing out that any embassy's premises are considered that country's territory by diplomatic convention, he remarked that if General Musharraf wanted to meet Hurriyat leaders on "Pakistani territory, why should there be any objection"?

He noted that the high commission had been inviting the Hurriyat leaders from time to time on important occasions. "What they do in their territory is their outlook. I don't think we have to be fussy about it. It's a non-issue," he asserted.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has deputed Dr Singh and K Natwar Singh, former external affairs minister, to represent the party at the 'high tea' to be hosted by Pakistani High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi on July 14.

Gandhi herself meet the general at Rashtrapati Bhavan as leader of the Opposition.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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