Hurriyat leaders to meet Prime Minister on Jan 17

Srinagar, Jan 9 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to meet the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in New Delhi on January 17, well-placed sources said today.

They said the Prime Minister has agreed to meet the Hurriyat leaders before their visit to Pakistan, beginning January 18.

The Hurriyat leaders had repeatedly expressed a desire to meet the Prime Minister before they travel to Islamabad.

However, the meeting is likely to take place after the Prime Minister's return from Philippines where he is going to attend the ASEAN and East Asia Summits on January 14-15 to be held at Cebu near Manila. Dr Singh is likely to return on January 15-16.

The sources said it was almost certain now that the Hurriyat leaders would get an invitation from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for a meeting with Dr Singh in a day or two.

At the crucial Hurriyat Executive Committee meeting yesterday, the separatist amalgam decided that it would accept an invitation from New Delhi for another round of talks with the Prime Minister.

UNI