11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

NEW DELHI, Sept 10: Indian Foreign Minister Kunwar Natwar Singh said on Friday that the alleged terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir had to stop for talks on the dispute to progress with Pakistan.

He told Star TV that Kashmir's All Parties Hurriyat Conference did not represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and that in any case, they did not hold a veto on India's talks with Pakistan to resolve the issue.

"Unless the cross-border terrorism is stopped, talks on Kashmir issue cannot move forward," Mr Singh said. He was essentially repeating the phrase that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had used during a recent news conference to describe New Delhi's position on Kashmir.

Asked about Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri's meeting with the APHC leaders earlier this week, Mr Singh said Pakistani leaders were free to have breakfast and lunch with Kashmiris, because it did not matter to New Delhi.

"I don't give much importance to the Hurriyat. Reality is known to all," Mr Singh said. The foreign minister indicated that India was going to harden its position on negotiating with hostage takers in future. "It was sad that the Indian foreign minister had to deliver known terrorists in Kandahar. It should not have happened."