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Disapproving the Hurriyat Conference's line of simultaneous talks with the Centre and Pakistan, senior Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah on Friday said he was not averse to meeting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his proposed visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
"I was pained that the prime minister, who has the political acumen to solve the Kashmir problem, did not hold meetings with separatist leaders during his previous visit," Shah said in Delhi.
"I took a bold decision of meeting the Centre's interlocutor K C Pant during his visit last year to Srinagar and I will not run away from the table even now," Shah said and added that 'finally, the issue has to be resolved through dialogue alone'.
Claiming that the policies of the Hurriyat Conference had rendered it redundant, Shah said, "I have always asked the Hurriyat leadership to come forward and lead from the front but am unable to understand their reservations about moving towards peace."
The conglomerate should 'now realise that they cannot take people of the state for granted any more', he added.
The senior separatist leader said his attitude was completely 'flexible' and that he was not craving for leadership.
"I only wish that everyone lead the state to complete peace and the Kashmir issue be resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state," Shah said.
He was not averse to joining a group of leaders who could provide a definite and 'logical' roadmap for resolution of the Kashmir problem, he added.
Shah also laid to rest speculation that he would be participating in the forthcoming assembly polls saying, "Elections are not the answer to the Kashmir problem."
"Persons like G M Naiku, Khaliq Haneef and Azam Inquilabi have been holding meetings with me, but a definite course for another forum is yet to emerge," Shah said while commenting about the formation of a third front.
Referring to the stalled Indo-Pak dialogue, Shah said, "The two countries should immediately sit across the table and talk as Kashmiris never wanted their state to become a flashpoint between India and Pakistan."
To a question about the statement of Defence Minister George Fernandes that the Centre would consider the Hurriyat's offer of brokering a ceasefire with militants by going to Pakistan, he said, "If they (Hurriyat) think they will be able to do it, I wish them the best of luck."
He suggested making more broad-based the dialogue that took place in Sharjah in May among some leaders from Kashmir, including PoK.
EARLIER REPORT Hurriyat divided over Sharjah meeting
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