Hurriyat rejects Azad's offer on working groups

Srinagar, June 15 (UNI) The moderate Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today rejected Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's offer to send its representatives to five working groups announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently.

''It is an administrative matter. We have nothing to do with it,'' well-placed Hurriyat sources told UNI.

They said the formation of working groups was a matter between the Centre and the state.

Mr Azad had yesterday said the Hurriyat Conference was welcome to send its representatives to the five working groups.

He has held consultations with various political parties on the formation of the five working groups announced by the Prime Minister during the second round-table conference here on May 24-25.

The Chief Minister termed the Hurriyat Conference's refusal to participate in the round-table conferences as ''unfortunate.'' However, he said if the amalgam sends its representatives to the working groups, it would be a welcome step.

Mr Azad also described the consultations with various political parties on the five working groups as fruitful.

The Chief Minister has so far met the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference (NC), the National Panthers Party (NPP) and the CPI(M).

UNI AG PR KP1511