APHC leaders want to visit Pakistan

Published October 31, 2004

NEW DELHI, Oct 30: Kashmir's spiritual leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who says he met President Pervez Musharraf in Amsterdam last month, said on Saturday that leaders of Kashmir's All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) want to visit Pakistan before holding talks with Indian leaders.

Press Trust of India quoted Maulvi Umar Farooq as saying he met President Musharraf in Amsterdam last month when the Pakistani delegation was returning from New York after the summit talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We know the resolution of the Kashmir issue can only be found through dialogue. We are not shying away from that. But before the third round of talks we need to go to Pakistan as this will further enhance the possibility of having a fruitful dialogue," Mirwaiz Umer Farooq told PTI from Srinagar.

His statement came ahead of a visit to Srinagar next week by Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who has offered to hold unconditional talks with APHC representatives.

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