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Centre's decision unfortunate,
says Hurriyat

The All Party Hurriyat Conference on Thursday termed as "unfortunate" the Centre's decision of not allowing Hurriyat leaders to meet Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf.

The APHC said the action has put a question mark on India's sincerity towards resolving the Kashmir issue through peaceful means.

"It is most unfortunate that the Government of India has taken such a decision. The APHC has done everything possible to create a conducive atmosphere for holding a constructive and meaningful dialogue process to resolve the vexed Kashmir issue," APHC spokesman Abdul Majid Banday said.

Banday said the APHC had time and again made it clear that a permanent resolution of the Kashmir imbroglio was impossible without the participation of the Kashmiri leadership.

"We are the true representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and are ready to prove it anytime," he said.

India had conveyed to Pakistan that a meeting between General Musharraf and the Hurriyat leadership would not be conducive to July 14-16 Indo-Pak summit.

"It is surprising that the Indian leadership had gone to the level of virtually ordering General Musharraf not to entertain the idea of meeting the Hurriyat leaders," Banday said.

In his statement during an interaction with some Pakistani newspaper editors in Islamabad on Tuesday, Musharraf had said that he would ''try his best'' to meet the APHC leaders.

Last month, soon after inviting the Musharraf for talks, India had said the Hurriyat leaders meeting with him was a ''non-issue.''

"The Executive Committee of the APHC will meet next week in Srinagar to take stock of the situation in the wake of India's stand and decide its future course of action," Banday said.

UNI

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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