15 January 2004	Thursday	22 Ziqa'ad 1424

SRINAGAR, Jan 14: A leading moderate Kashmiri separatist said on Wednesday that unprecedented talks with the Indian government next week would be a big step towards settling the deadly revolt in the Himalayan region, but hardliners remained deeply sceptical.

On Tuesday, the government invited Maulana Abbas Ansari, head of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, the main separatist alliance, for talks in New Delhi with Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani on Jan 22 aimed at ending the 14-year uprising against Indian rule in the divided territory.

"The invitation at the highest level is a big leap forward towards resolution of the decades-long Kashmir issue," Hurriyat founder and moderate separatist Umar Farooq told AFP.

"I believe the talks will mark the beginning of a process to find an everlasting solution to the Kashmir dispute." New Delhi's invitation for the first talks with Kashmiri separatists since the uprising began followed its breakthrough accord with Pakistan last week to resume peace talks after they nearly went to war over the region in 2002.

But hardliners, who split from the alliance last September with the pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani forming a parallel group, said India was playing politics and seeking to sideline Pakistan in the peace process.

"It's a dangerous political game which India wants to play with Pakistan and Kashmiris," Mr Geelani said. India will use the talks to "tell the international community and Pakistan there is no need to hold talks with anyone as we are trying to find out the way with Kashmiris," he added.

Mr Farooq said he would make a last pitch "to unite the separatists before we go to New Delhi for talks." He believed the dialogue process would eventually lead to tripartite talks involving India, Pakistan and Kashmiri representatives.

"The talks will be unconditional but Kashmir-centric," said Mr Farooq. "We will not talk about elections, autonomy or who will rule Kashmir. Our only focus will be resolution of Kashmir issue."

He said afterwards Hurriyat wanted to visit Pakistan to talk to the government and guerilla leaders. India has rejected such requests in the past.-AFP