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Srinagar, May 23 (UNI) Despite the separatist boycott, the second round-table conference to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here for two days from tomorrow is expected to come out with concrete suggestions to bring about the much-needed relief to the people of strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.

Coming three months after the first round-table conference held in New Delhi on February 25, the second conference will yet again see only mainstream political parties and some individuals presenting their viewpoint to resolve the contentious Kashmir issue.

The Prime Minister's bold initiative to seek views from all shades of opinion at a common forum to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kashmir issue received a major setback when almost all top separatist groups rejected the invitation to participate in the second round-table conference.

Prominent separatist groups such as both the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference, the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) have all declined to attend the round-table here on May 24-25. They had earlier refused to take part in the first round-table as well.

Breakaway Hurriyat Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani termed the meet a ''meaningless and futile exercise'', and also called for a general strike on both the days.

JKLF Chief Yasin Malik said he had already decided not to join the conference. ''There is no change in my stand,'' he added.

Moderate Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar refused to participate, saying the amalgam does not want to join ''a crowd of political hypocrites and renegades''.

However, he said the Hurriyat leaders would like to meet the Prime Minister separately on the sidelines of the round-table.

''We would like to seize the opportunity of the Prime Minister's visit to Kashmir. If Dr Singh agrees, we would like to meet and talk to him in Srinagar as well,'' he added.

The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) dismissed the conclave as an attempt to ''buy time'' and ''mislead the world community''.

''We have decided to stay away from the round-table conference.

India is not sincere in resolving the Kashmir issue,'' DFP Chief Shabir Ahmad Shah said.

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