Brussels moot speaks of long-term peace for Kashmir

Brussels, Jan.3 (ANI): A two-day conference held here last month on the cultural heritage of Kashmiris, has declared that there is a need to forge "a peaceful pathway through identifying and implementing a series of steps that will lead to a prosperous and cohesive future for all of the people of Kashmir, wherever they may reside."

In its eight-point declaration, the conference recognising that, irrespective of their location, all people of the Former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir share a unique and ancient heritage.

It also welcomed and endorsed the European Parliament resolution on Kashmir passed on May 24, 2007. The resolution was passed by a majority of 522 votes in favour, nine votes against and 19 abstentions.

The conference affirmed that the Kashmiri identity has not faded or been diminished during the several centuries of difficulty, of which the past sixty years have been perhaps the most testing of all, and has on the contrary been strengthened and enhanced by these trails;

It strongly believed that through searching for and practising conflict resolution and conflict avoidance, and by adopting a forward-looking approach regarding today as the beginning of a new pattern of activity, the absolute goal of unity and diversity in Kashmir could be reached.

The signatories included Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Charles Graves, Nasir Aziz Khan, Mumtaz Khan, Jamil Maqsood, Sajid Hussain, Abbas Butt, Dr. Shabir Choudhry, M. Hashim Qureshi, Daalat Ali, Zafar Iqbal, Talat Butt, Krishna Bhan, Sikander Abbas, Sardar Nasim Iqbal Advocate JKLF, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP, Jessica Scout, Christophe Michels, Siddik Bakir, Abdul Hamid Khan, Maroof Khan and Manzoor Hussain in absentia.

The conference, over which Baroness Emma Nicholson presided, was held on December 10 and 11. (ANI)