SRINAGAR, May 20: A Kashmiri separatist on Saturday rejected an invitation to attend peace talks planned by India’s premier and called a two-day protest strike instead.
“I have received a letter from the Indian prime minister’s office inviting me to take part in the roundtable discussions,” Syed Ali Geelani told reporters here.
The talks to be held May 24 and 25 are aimed at helping settle a deadly 16-year-old freedom struggle against New Delhi’s rule.
“I regard these talks as a part of a sellout and aimed at converting Line of Control into a permanent border,” Geelani said.
“I call upon the people of Kashmir to observe a complete strike on May 24 and 25,” Geelani said.
Hardline separatist politicians and freedom fighters who have been waging an insurgency against Indian rule since 1980 strongly oppose talks with New Delhi.
They want India to declare Kashmir a disputed territory but New Delhi, which says the region is an integral part of the country, refuses to so.
Moderate separatists are scheduled to discuss on Monday whether to participate in the conference to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but they are expected to boycott it.
They did not take part in the first roundtable held in New Delhi on Feb 25 that was attended by pro-India Kashmiri politicians. But they have held two separate rounds of talks with Singh. —AFP
