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Srinagar: In a major policy shift, Hurriyat Conference on July 13 said the United States and Britain should be kept out of any attempt to solve the Kashmir issue and instead suggested drafting in Iran or former South African President Nelson Mandela to act as facilitators to help end the imbroglio.

"Countries like the United States and United Kingdom should be kept out of Kashmir as they have the power of imposing their solutions on New Delhi and Islamabad," Hurriyat's moderate chief Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari told reporters in Srinagar a day after taking over.

"It will be a shame if a big power comes and tells India and Pakistan what to do. The two countries should be able to resolve the issue between themselves," he said.

Ansari said India and Pakistan should keep out powers, which can impose their solutions on them while resolving Kashmir issue.

"India and Pakistan basically belong to the same soil. Wisdom would have been if the two countries displayed maturity and resolve the Kashmir problem on the dialogue table without third party intervention," the Hurriyat chairman said.

Asked to name possible countries, which could act as mediators without influencing the talks process, the first Shia head of Hurriyat said Iran could be one such country.

"Tehran is a well-wisher of India and has friendly relations with Pakistan also. The two countries can seek services of such common friends in resolving the dispute," Ansari said.

PTI