Desires change in US Policy towards Muslim Nations: JKIM

Srinagar, Nov 07 (UNI) Hailing the election of Barck Obama as the president of the United States, Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM) Chief Patron Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari said there could be now a desire change in the US policy towards the Muslim nations.

In a statement from his residence where he has been put under house arrest since yesterday to prevent him from attending the Jama Masjid march, Mr Ansari said Mr Obama become the first African-American to assume the Oval Office and his interest to resolve the Kashmir issue was encouraging.

He expressed the hope that the Kashmir issue would become the center of attention on a priority basis after the transfer of power.

''If Mr Obama seriously desires to bring peace and prosperity in this part of the globe, we want to make it clear to him that peace, progress and security would continue to elude South Asia until the Kashmir issue was resolved in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of its people.'' he said.

Former chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, welcomed the announcement of Mr Obama that he wanted to start the diplomatic efforts for solving the Kashmir issue.

Mr Anwari said Kashmir was not a border dispute but an issue concerning the right of self-determination of 13 million people which has been promised to them in the United Nations resolutions and by Indian leaders.

''The world's nations expect that US policies based on warmongering, occupation, bullying, deceit, humiliation of other nations and discriminating and unfair relations that has led to the hatred of the US rulers by all the nations and most of the world governments, would turn into a behavior based on justice, respect for the rights of other people and nations, friendship and noninterference in others' affairs,'' the statement said.

Maulana Ansari expressed hope that Mr Obama would ''fulfil his committments and bring change to Washington and its affairs.'' ''It is expected that the unjust behavior of the US would change into giving back the nations especially, the Iraqi and Afghan people, their full democratic rights'', he said.

UNI BAS FMH AKJ RAI1751