Thaindian News

Srinagar, Nov 20 (IANS) Leaders of the moderate faction of Jammu and Kashmir’s separatist Hurriyat Conference are divided on the efficacy of the “quiet” talks with the central government.
The executive meeting of the moderate Hurriyat group, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, ended late Thursday without any consensus on the proposed resumption of talks with New Delhi.

Although the executive members said they would be meeting again Monday to continue the deliberations before committing themselves to the talks, sources in the Hurriyat Conference said differences had arisen over how effective the “quiet diplomacy” could be.

Hurriyat insiders said Shabir Shah of the Democratic Freedom Party, an important constituent of the grouping, had pleaded strongly for working out an understanding between the moderate Hurriyat headed by the Mirwaiz and the breakaway group headed by Syed Ali Geelani before restarting the dialogue with New Delhi.

Said a leader close to Shah: “Unless everybody in the separatist camp is taken on board, Shah said the exercise would always face the danger of being misinterpreted before the people.

“Secret parleys always face the danger of motives being attributed to them by those who oppose them. We will have to tread the path very cautiously.”

“It was thoroughly debated in the executive meeting whether the proposed dialogue should be held away from the media glare. The composition of the team for the proposed visit to Pakistan on Nov 28 was also discussed, but no final decision was taken,” added another leader.

The Mirwaiz told reporters that the Hurriyat was in no hurry and was trying to take everybody on board for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

The “quiet talks and quiet diplomacy” initiative was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

Chidambaram has said the new political initiative in Kashmir by the government was “quiet as opposed to photo op, and quiet as opposed to in the full glare of the media”.