August 12, 2002	Monday	Jamadi-us-Saani 2, 1423

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SRINAGAR, Aug 11: The chief minister of occupied Kashmir said on Sunday that India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue through negotiations.

“We pray to God that India and Pakistan come forward and settle issues through negotiations,” Farooq Abdullah said at a function in Srinagar.

“This is necessary given the death and destruction witnessed by Kashmiris over the years,” he said.

India says it would not open any dialogue with Pakistan until it stops “cross-border incursions”.

Mr Abdullah said the war between the two countries would only bring “death and destruction” to the region.

“War does not settle issues, but leads to destruction,” he said.

This is a marked shift in Abdullah’s stand, whose regional party, the National Conference, has been ruling occupied Kashmir since 1996.

Until now, the chief minister has been advocating war with Pakistan for Islamabad’s alleged support of the 13-year long insurgency in occupied Kashmir.

Abdullah also welcomed the formation of the Kashmir Committee by a few leading intellectuals of India, including the former federal law minister Ram Jethmalani.

“The National Conference is not averse to a dialogue between the separatist groups and the Kashmir Committee,” Abdullah told reporters.

India’s Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani on Friday authorized Jethmalani to invite Kashmiri leaders for talks on “relevant issues.”

The formal invitation has not been received by the Kashmiri leaders so far.

Mr Abdullah said his party was against the postponement of state polls in Kashmir, which are stated to start on Sept 16 and end on Oct 8.

“My party does not want the postponement of polls at any cost.”

There are demands by other pro-India political groups that the polls be postponed and the state brought under the direct rule of New Delhi.

“People making such demands have a vested interest,” Abdullah said, without elaborating.

He said direct rule can be imposed only when the present state government recommends it.

“And my government will never do that,” Abdullah said.—AFP