Author:
Publication: The Hindu
Date: September 26,
2000
In a significant development,
top diplomats from four European countries today held talks with leaders
of Hurriyat Conference whose chairman Abdul Gani Bhat said later that the
international opinion favoured a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.
The diplomats, who arrived
here on a three-day visit to the State, also met the chairman of Jammu
and Kashmir People's political front Fazal Haq Qureshi who acted as a go-between
in the aborted dialogue between the Centre and Pakistan-based militant
outfit Hizbul Mujahideen recently.
The meeting between the
envoys led by French ambassador to India Bernard De Montferaand and Hurriyat
leaders lasted for about one and half hours.
(Reuters photo shows
Bernard de Montferrand, left, head of the European Union listening to Abdul
Gani Bhat, right, Chairman of All-Party Hurriat Conference.)
Emerging from the meeting,
Monteferrand ducked questions from reporters about the nature of discussion
with Hurriyat leaders saying the purpose of their current visit was of
the same nature as the previous ones by envoys of different countries to
Kashmir during past six years.
He parried a question
whether they had brought a new proposal for solving the Kashmir issue and
said the Indian Government was aware of the purpose of the visit of the
European delegation to Kashmir.
He said a comprehensive
report would be submitted by the members to their respective governments.
Hurriyat chairman Abdul
Gani Bhat told reporters that the discussion with the envoys was focussed
on Kashmir issue.