Government Ready For Talks If Hurriyat Agrees, Says Rajnath Singh  

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the government was ready to hold dialogue with the Hurriyat Conference leadership if the separatists come forward for talks. Mr Singh, however, made it clear that so far there has been no indication from the Hurriyat that it was ready for peace talks with the government.

"I have already said that we are ready for dialogue with all stakeholders in Kashmir. If Hurriyat comes forward for talks, we don't mind talking to them. Whoever wants to talk with us, we are ready for talks," he told a TV channel in New Delhi.

On whether there was any indication from the separatists leadership for peace dialogue with the government, Mr Singh said, "There has been no indication so far."

The government's special representative Dineshwar Sharma is holding talks with a cross section of people in Jammu and Kashmir, the Home Minister said.

Mr Singh's comments came days after the government had announced suspension of operations against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan that began on May 17.

Past attempts to initiate dialogue with the Hurriyat had failed after the separatists demanded declaration of Kashmir as "disputed" and involvement of Pakistan in the dialogue.

PTI