Srinagar: Welcoming the new Home Minister Shivraj Patil's statement on continuing talks with separatists in Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference led by Maulana Abbas Ansari expressed hope that the outcome of the talks with previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government would be respected by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government.

"We welcome Patil's statement in which he had stated that talks with separatists would continue. It is a good sign. We welcome this gesture," Ansari told reporters.

"We hope that the issues discussed and the agreements signed during talks with former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani will stand. We want that the threads should be picked up from where it had left in the second rounds of talks," he added.

The talks were going on right track with previous Government and the amalgam did not see any need to look beyond what has been agreed upon, he said. "We wish the talks are held on the pattern of the previous Government."

"Hurriyat has always been of the view that Kashmir is an issue that can be solved through negotiations and that's why we accepted the invitation of Advani," he said.

Reiterating the amalgam's demand that the separatist leaders be allowed to visit Pakistan, he said, "We are not asking for the moon. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru allowed late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to travel to Pakistan in the '60s to build consensus on the Kashmir issue. We too want to visit Pakistan and meet the leaders there to discuss roadmap which will form the basis of future talks."