Manmohan, APHC delegation hold talks
India agrees to reduce troops from IOK
APHC stresses for durable solution of Kashmir issue
From Meerza Iqbal Baig

NEW DELHI—Indian Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh has expressed his willingness to conditionally reduce number of Indian army in occupied Kashmir, while Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has stressed on finding out durable resolution of Kashmir issue.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference’s five member delegation, led by its Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, met with Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi, this evening for talks on Kashmir issue.
The meeting pondered over issues related to violation of human rights in held Kashmir at the hands of Indian army and elimination of the rampant torture of Kashmiris.
However, the Indian prime minister assured the Kashmiri leaders about taking all possible measures to put check on the mass level human rights violation in held Kashmir.
Both sides also agreed to continue their talks for elimination of violence related incidents.
The Prime Minister welcomed the resumption of dialogue between the Government of India and the APHC. He reaffirmed his faith in a peaceful resolution of all issues pertaining to J&K and said that violence had no role in a democracy. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring a life of peace, self-respect and dignity for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He agreed to review all cases of those held in detention and ensure that violations of human dignity would not be tolerated and Government would take all necessary measures to safeguard against human rights violations. He agreed to the time-bound review of those held under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and POTA. The Prime Minister said that if there is a cessation of violence and an end to infiltration, conditions will be created for the reduction of armed forces. The APHC delegation welcomed the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister and discuss issues pertaining to Jammu & Kashmir. It was felt that the dialogue process should lead to the resolution of all outstanding issues relating to J&K. The APHC delegation stressed that an honourable and durable solution should be found through dialogue. It was agreed that the only way forward is to ensure that all forms of violence at all levels should come to an end. The APHC delegation welcomed the India-Pakistan peace process and the initiatives taken so far by the Prime Minister, including the resumption of the bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.
It was agreed to carry forward the dialogue process so that all regions and all shades of political opinion in J&K are involved. Several issues concerning the rights of people deserving the attention of the Government were raised in the meeting. The APHC stated that they would be able to bring up specific suggestions for the honourable and durable resolution of the problem of Jammu and Kashmir, at the next meeting. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has begun the first talks between an Indian leader and Kashmiri separatists since the start of a bloody rebellion in Kashmir in 1989.
A five-strong team of moderate freedom fighters, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, arrived at Singh’s official residence in New Delhi for the talks on Monday, which home ministry officials would be followed by a working dinner. The discussions are part of a wider peace process between India and Pakistan to settle a long-festering dispute over the scenic Himalayan territory that has triggered two of their three wars.
Farooq, who leads a moderate faction of Kashmir’s main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, was accompanied by fellow separatist leaders Abdul Gani Bhat, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Fazal Haque Qureshi and Bilal Lone. The five also held two rounds of talks last year with then deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani of India’s previous Hindu nationalist government.
The delegation was also part of a Hurriyat team which visited Islamabad in June and held talks with Pakistani leaders.
“Hopefully the environment is better than before. India and Pakistan are positively engaged,” Farooq said. “I hope this (meeting) will be a new beginning”. Miewaiz, who has emerged as the key freedom fighters player in the dialogue with New Delhi, is expected to push for a troop cut among other steps to improve the lives of ordinary Kashmiris scarred by 16 years of insurgency.
Analysts estimate about 400,000 Indian soldiers are posted in Kashmir in a bid to quell a revolt that has raged against New Delhi’s rule since 1989. The troops are the target of wide resentment among many Kashmiris. The talks come ahead of a meeting between Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in mid-September in New York, where Kashmir will be a key topic.

Hurriyat-Singh meeting to boost peace process: Pak
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Welcoming the first-ever talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and APHC leaders led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Pakistan on Monday said it would strengthen the peace process with India.
“We welcome it. We think it will strengthen the peace process between India and Pakistan. People of Kashmir and Hurriyat association is important for durable peace,” Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan told a media briefing here.
Responding to a question he said “all Hurriyat leaders are important, we respect them, we do not have any favourites”.
To another question, he said Kashmir issue would be the focus of talks between Singh and Pesident Pervez Musharraf when they meet in New York on September 14 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. He said Musharraf would also meet US President George W Bush, Presidents of China and Russia, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and several other world leaders in New York. Responding to questions about Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran’s assertions during his visit here last week that cross-border terrorism continued, he said during the Foreign Secretary-level talks India has been told that Pakistan is opposed to terrorism.