Ansari hopeful, Geelani not

The Hurriyat Conference is see-sawing between hope and scepticism over the SAARC summit. While the Abbas group is hopeful that Kashmir will ...

The Hurriyat Conference is see-sawing between hope and scepticism over the SAARC summit. While the Abbas group is hopeful that Kashmir will definitely top the agenda, the hawkish faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani today said the summit has hardly anything to offer to Kashmiris.

A spokesperson quoting chairman Moulvi Abbas Ansari today said the Hurriyat hopes Kashmir will find a mention even if only non-political issues are taken up at the summit.

Citing remarks of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf — who have termed Kashmir as a sensitive issue — the spokesperson said this bodes well for the sub-continent. ‘‘Even L.K. Advani has softened his stand on Kashmir. The Hurriyat urges the two leaders to involve Kashmiris in the dialogue process,’’ he added.

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He said the two leaders can’t afford to ignore the sentiments of the Kashmiris as they are the basic party to the problem. He added that the Hurriyat has appealed to all SAARC nations to help resolve the Kashmir dispute, as it can bring prosperity to the entire region.

In contrast, Syed Ali Shah Geelani today asked people not to expect too much from the summit, as India and Pakistan will not be able to discuss the Kashmir issue. He added that we should, however, take heart as the two countries are moving closer.

The Kashmir issue can be resolved through the active interference of the five world powers and the UN resolutions, he added.

‘‘The good reception for PM Vajpayee is indicative of good atmosphere, but the people here should not read much into it as SAARC is a forum where political issues precede economic ones,’’ he added.

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Describing India as a ‘‘bottleneck’’ in resolution of Kashmir issue, Geelani accused the leadership of being intransigent and said any forward movement on Kashmir requires New Delhi’s admission of it being a ‘‘disputed issue’’.

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