July 4, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 3,1424

JAMMU, July 3: Indian Kashmir’s main opposition leader Omar Abdullah claimed on Thursday that India was allowing third party mediation in its dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir.

“The way New Delhi is seeking international support to mount pressure on Islamabad to stop aid to cross-border terrorism is indicative of India’s plan of inviting a third party to mediate on Kashmir,” said Omar Abdullah, president of the National Conference (NC) and former federal junior foreign minister.

“Why should Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visit the United States, China and other countries, telling their leaders to intervene so as to persuade Pakistan to suspend aid to Islamic rebels?” he asked reporters in Jammu, Kashmir’s winter capital.

“Whether by default or design we are inviting third party mediation.”

India has repeatedly rejected any outside involvement in its dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, while Pakistan says it would welcome foreign mediation — as suggested recently by President Pervez Musharraf in his calls for a Middle East style roadmap to peace.

Abdullah said he was against any third-party involvement.

“Since Kashmir is a bilateral dispute the problem should be settled through Indo-Pak talks.”

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir and came to the brink of another conflict last year.

Abdullah said Vajpayee’s peace plan had yet to develop and had not brought about any change in the security situation in Kashmir.

“If the situation remains the same, the Indian prime minister will find it difficult to justify his peace initiative,” he added.—AFP