Omar fears peace talks may derail if militants not roped in

Srinagar, May 16: National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah has expressed apprehension of the ongoing peace process getting derailed if militants and the separatist groups, including the Hurriyat Conference, were not involved in talks.

He called for holding a separate roundtable conference involving both the separatist as well as the militant leadership.

Addressing a public meeting in the central Kashmir district of Badgam, Mr Abdullah urged New Delhi to initiate unconditional dialogue with the Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council (UJC), a conglomerate of several militant groups active in Jammu and Kashmir.

Later talking to journalists, he said the NC would support any move to involve the separatist and the militant leadership in the ongoing dialogue process.

''It could be a separate roundtable for them. The unconditional dialogue offer to the UJC will bring a positive outcome as the militant amalgam is ready for talks,'' Mr Abdullah claimed.

The former Union Minister said his party was responsible for the Hizbul Mujahideen's ceasefire announcement in 2000, and accused the PDP of ''orchestrating'' assassination of those militant commanders who were involved in peace talks.

''The unilateral Ramzan ceasefire announced in 2002 by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was due to the NC's efforts.

Those claiming to be the representatives of the people are least bothered about convincing New Delhi to announce a truce,'' he said, apparently referring to the PDP.

Mr Abdullah said that truce announced by Mr Vajpayee did not yield positive results as Pakistan was not a party to it. ''Today, things are different,'' he added.

Mrs Gandhi noted that the Congress-led UPA coalition government at the Centre would complete three years in a couple of days and congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "on reaching this milestone". Listing the Government's achievements, she said, "Our Government has achieved a great deal, whether through the introduction of new development schemes, the enactment of new laws, the strengthening of our secular fabric, the making of a transparent administration, the acceleration of economic gropwth and the launch of new programmes and initiatives, for the welfare of farmers, the weaker sections of society and the minorities.

Mrs Gandhi said the Government had taken steps to control the prices of essential commodities "and while these are having some impact, we must maintain the closest vigil on them."

UNI