Srinagar: Terming Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to the valley as "historic", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on April 20 said for the first time a Prime Minister has made a serious attempt to address the Kashmir issue.

"For the first time any Prime Minister has not only made a serious attempt to address the (Kashmir) issue from the soil of the valley itself, but also extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan," he said in an interview.

The Chief Minister said Vajpayee endorsed his government's healing touch policy and struck a cord with the people of the valley when he said he was here to share their sorrow as well. The people had been longing to hear such words, Sayeed said.

Vajpayee gave a message to the world that he was here to solve all issues, Sayeed said. "The visit of the Prime Minister was a great success" and historic, he said.

The Prime Minister made it clear that gun was no solution to any problem and sooner or later the talks would have to begin, the Chief Minister said and asked militants and separatists to shun violence and join the dialogue process during Centre's interlocutor N N Vohra's week-long visit to Kashmir beginning April 21.

"I have said and made it clear that militants should leave the gun and join the table. Even the separatists should come forward and hold talks," Sayeed said.

Dismissing allegation that the Vohra committee was yet another attempt by the Centre to enter into non-serious dialogue, the Chief Minister said Vajpayee has clearly said that the atmosphere has now changed in Jammu and Kashmir.

On Hurriyat Conference's stand on talks with the Centre, Sayeed said, "I am being told that they would also fall in line. After all one should take note of the fact that the amalgam called off its second days strike during Vajpayee's visit."

The reaction from the separatist leaders has so far been positive, he said.

Sayeed said Pakistan should also show positive response to the Prime Minister's peace initiative and abandon its beaten track policy of claiming that they do not indulge in cross-border terrorism.

"Aise atank pahlayenge aur bahar se keh denge ki baat karo, aisa kaise chalenga? (They indulge in spreading terror and also say that they want to talk. This will not do), the Chief Minister said.

PTI