Azad calls on PM; discuss May 25 roundtable

New Delhi, May 4: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here and discussed the current political and economic situation in state and the May 25 roundtable in Srinagar.

Sources told UNI that the outcome of yesterday's second round of parleys between the Prime Minister and a six-member moderate Hurriyat Conference delegation, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was also discussed at the meeting.

''The dialogue between the separatist and the Prime Minister was taken up in detail.... Mr Azad has always supported that separatist continue the dialogue with the Centre,'' they said.

After the 45-minute meeting here, Mr Azad said,''The roundtable was discussed... I conveyed to the Prime Minister that state government is ready to host conference at Srinagar.

He said Dr Singh was of the opinion that the conclave is the ''real forum'' to address all kinds of problems in a peaceful atmosphere through dialogue and iteraction.

''Both of us hoped that right thinking people will work sincerely to ensure that conference becomes another milestone towards path of peace,'' he added.

Mr Azad, who completed six months of his tenure on May 2, said the people of Jammu and Kashmir welcomed the decision to open the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade and opening of Poonch-Rawalkote road for passenger service.

''The people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered a lot during last 18 years and the economy has come to a stand still....

infrastructure required for economic activities was destroyed. But due to the Prime Minister's personal interest reconstruction process of the state is presently in full swing,'' he added.

UNI