Hurriyat says no to Azad's offer on working groups

Srinagar, June 15 (UNI) Rejecting outright Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's offer to send its representatives to five working groups, the moderate Hurriyat Conference today said it was an ''administrative matter and had nothing to do with it''.

''It is an administrative matter. We have nothing to do with it,'' well-placed sources in the moderate Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, told UNI.

They said the formation of the five 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 as announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the second round-table conference here on May 24-25.

He has held consultations with various political parties on the formation of the groups.

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 MSJ KP1847