Mirwaiz craving for second meeting with PM: Geelani

Srinagar, Mar 8 (UNI) Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani today said the moderate faction of the separatist amalgam led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was ''crying and craving'' for holding the second round of talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Addressing a news conference here, Mr Geelani took a dig at the moderate Hurriyat Conference for holding ''unsuccessful and unfruitful'' three rounds of talks with the Centre so far.

''The so-called moderate leadership had held two rounds of talks with the previous NDA government and one meeting with the present UPA regime. They are now crying and craving for the second round of talks with Prime Minister Singh,'' he added.

The firebrand leader said the outcome of the Prime Minister round-table conference on Kashmir in New Delhi on February 25 and the talks between India and Pakistan since January 2004 was also known to all.

''The talks between the moderate Hurriyat leaders and the Government of India have also proved fruitful and unsuccessful. This has further strengthened our resolve and our stand vis-a-vis the resolution of the Kashmir issue,'' Mr Geelani added.

The moderate Hurriyat leaders have held two rounds of talks with the previous BJP-led NDA government -- in Janauary and March 2004 -- and one with the present Congress-led UPA regime on September 5 last year.

UNI AG VD KN1414