SRINAGAR, Aug 11: Talks between the Indian government and Kashmiri leaders could begin in weeks, if New Delhi is sincere about its willingness to hold unconditional talks, a Kashmiri leader said on Sunday.

“We are ready for unconditional talks — and these could begin soon after Aug 22,” Javed Mir, acting chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, said. The JKLF is part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of 23 parties.

Mir said the APHC was waiting to study the terms of the talks offer made on Friday by Lal Krishna Advani, India’s deputy prime minister.

Mir said on face value, it appeared the Indian government was offering no-strings-attached talks.

“In the past they have said the talks should be on the elections, or on the (Kashmir) government, and be held under the constitution,” Mir told AFP.

“If this is the case we are not interested. Too many of our people have sacrificed their lives for that; so we want only to talk about substantive issues — not elections nor state government. But if he is offering unconditional dialogue, then we are ready.”

Mir said that APHC’s seven-member executive council, which had met on Saturday, had detected a shift in India’s stance, though they wanted to be certain.

“We want to study the paper (offering the talks). Only then can we make a decision.”

Mir believed New Delhi’s apparent softer stance had come about due to pressure from US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who visited South Asia late July to persuade India and Pakistan to begin “genuine dialogue” to resolve their 55-year-old dispute over Kashmir.—AFP