Govt ready to interact with Hurriyat leaders : PM

On Board Air India One, Oct 18 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today regretted that the All Party Hurriyat Conference did not turn up for further talks, despite having given promises to engage itself with the government at the centre to resolve the problems in Jammu and Kashmir.

''We have devised the round table conference to meet all segments of the Kashmiri political opinion and ask them to join hands with government to look at the problems,'' he told mediapersons on way back after his five-day-long visit to Nigeria and South Africa.

''It is my regret that the Hurriyat leaders did not come for talks despite promises to the effect given earlier,'' he said.

Asked about the prospect of the Hurriyat Conference leaders returning to talks, Dr Singh said: ''We have not still lost hope to engage all groups in Jammu and Kashmir in the reconstruction and in the efforts to find a lasting solution in the state.'' ''I am happy to talk to any group which is willing to interact with the government,'' Dr Singh said.

UNI