'Sad to see India, Pak caught in word jugglery'

Hurriyat Conference on Friday voiced its dismay at India and Pakistan not making much headway at the talks between their foreign ministers, saying the outcome has left people in the Kashmir valley "disappointed."

It was "sad" that both the countries were caught in "jugglery of words and political jargon", Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said in Srinagar.

The separatist amalgam also advocated that policy makers in New Delhi should listen to its own Army Chief General V K Singh, who has said that Kashmir was a political issue and needed to be resolved politically.

"Hurriyat's point of view is that unless and until both countries -- India and Pakistan -- come close to each other, the prospects of Kashmir issue being resolved are less," Farooq said.

"...the sad part is that we are still caught in jugglery of words and political jargons and there does not seem to be any sincerity on resolving the issue. We maintain that the core issue between the two countries is Kashmir. Yes, there are other issues which are also important but we have maintained that an India, Pakistan dialogue can only be in the right direction if we see some changes on the ground..."

Farooq said Hurriyat was very disappointed that no headway has been made though some contact is there (between the two countries).

"But I guess this (contact) is not enough specially in

a situation like this when people of Kashmir are going through very critical times. There was a hope that some political initiative between India and Pakistan would generate some interests among people of Kashmir but people of Kashmir are very disappointed that nothing has come out from the talks apart from rhetoric," he said.

He said unless and until there is a proper mechanism, there is a realisation that "we need to address issues politically, amicably and peacefully and I think if this is not the thinking then we are back to square one."

Mirwaiz referred to the statement of Army Chief Gen Singh's statement and said "their own army chief is saying that what can the Army do, its a political problem and needs a political solution."

In reply to a question whether the time was right for Hurriyat to jump in and act as a bridge between India and Pakistan, he said "No. I don't think this is the right time for Hurriyat to jump into. Right now India and Pakistan are also not in a position to move ahead. There does not seem to be any direction, there does not seem to be any mechanism of how to move forward."

"We were hoping that India and Pakistan will take it forward and at an appropriate time...but the way in which this meeting has gone, accusation and counter-accusation, I think it is sad. I think rather than accommodating each other's view, I see hardening of stands," he said.