And now, London will be the locale for fresh Kashmir talks...

Talks, talks and more Kashmir talks. In New Delhi, Islamabad, New York -- and now, London.

The latest talks, scheduled from October 31 in the British capital, is being jointly organised by the Friends of Kashmir and the All Party British Parliamentary Kashmir Group. The two London-based organisations have invited 37 prominent politicians and activists from Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir, including Gilgit and Baltistan.

In the invitation to the would-be participants, hosts FoK's Lord Eric Avebury and APBPKG's Roger Godsiff said the envisaged conference would discuss 'methodologies for arriving at a solution to the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the will of the people.'

They said the three-day meeting would allow Kashmiris from both sides to exchange views on 'how they consider progress could be made.' The agenda would be drawn up by the participants themselves. It could include confidence building measures, the Indo-Pak dialogue promotion and the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.

The meeting would be held under Chatham House Rules. As such, only a general summary of the discussions would be produced -- no views would be attributed to individual participants.

The prominent invitees include Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Opposition leaders Maulavi Omar Farooq, Yaseen Malik, Shabir Shah, Syed Ali Gilani, Abdul Ghani Lone, Professor Abdul Gani and Maulavi Abbas Ansari, Congressman Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Vaid Vishnu Dutt and Dr Karan Singh.

However, the conference is not likely to see many of the Indian invitees. As Dr Abdullah, Dr Karan Singh, Mufti Sayeed and Dutt consider the hosts 'pro-secessionists, if not anti-India', they are not expected to take part. And the Hurriyat leaders will find the going to London tough as most of them do not have passports. (In all probability, they will settle for their representative from across the border.)

The invitees from PoK are Prime Minister Sultan Mahmood, President Sardar Ibrahim Khan, former prime ministers Sardar Qayyum Khan, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan and Muhammad Hayat Khan and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Amanullah Khan.

From Gilgit and Baltistan -- areas which Pakistan claims form its northern part -- Northern Areas Council chairman Pir Karm Ali Shah, National United Party president Major Hussain Shah (retired) and Haji Abdul Quddus, former NAC member, are expected to participate.