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November 13, 2006 19:27 IST
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, on Monday said he would meet the visiting Pakistani delegation headed by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan and convey to it that the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue was to hold a plebiscite there.
"I am going to put my viewpoint across to the delegation," Geelani told reporters in Srinagar [Images] before leaving for Delhi. The Hurriyat leader said Pakistan and European countries, supporting the Kashmiris' cause, should persuade India to implement United Nation resolutions on Kashmir, adding that a plebiscite be held there.
He said the issue should be addressed in its historic perspective. He also flayed the UN for 'not acting as per its mandate to resolve issues facing the world.'
"It has become ineffective and a puppet in the hands of the United States, which vetoed a resolution condemning Isreali attack on Palestine. The world body is not working independently," Geelani added.
Asked why then he was demanding implementation of United Nations resolutions, he said it had become ineffective but the resolutions passed by it long ago (on Kashmir issue) are still relevant. After a lull caused by the July 11 train blasts in Mumbai, India and Pakistan will resume on Tuesday foreign secretary-level talks during which terrorism is expected to be the dominant issue.
Geelani said he was not against settling the issue through talks but his 58-year experience showed that 'India has never been sincere in resolving it' through parleys.
"Dialogue is one way to resolve the issue," he said, maintaining that India should accept Kashmir as a dispute, revoke Disturbed Areas Act, withdraw Armed Forces Special Powers Act, release all those detained and stop alleged human rights violations in the state.
Geelani did not attach much significance to the resumption of the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, saying it will revolve around checking terrorism and not for settling Kashmir issue, which is the 'mother of all problems.'
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