Srinagar: The Centre today (Aug 10, 2004) reiterated that talks with the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference (HC) would be held within the framework of the Constitution and the amalgam's rejection of the Union Home Minister's statement in this regard was not final.

"We should not take the rejection as final. We do not know which group or who has rejected the statement of Home Minister Shivraj Patil that talks would be held within the framework of the Constitution," Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters in Srinagar.

Jaiswal stressed that talks with Hurriyat or any other group over the Kashmir issue would be held within the constitutional framework.

"I do not think that any Home Minister of the country has ever said that talks with separatists would be held outside the constitutional framework. Patil has just repeated what has been said earlier," he said.

Patil had said that talks with Hurriyat would be held within the "four walls of the Constitution". The statement was rejected by the amalgam yesterday (Aug 9, 2004), saying Patil's contention was "unacceptable and impracticable".

Asked if the dialogue process had stalled after the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government took over at the Centre, Jaiswal said talks are lingering and delayed because of internal friction within the Hurriyat.

On talks with Pakistan, he said the process was continuing and expressed hope that Islamabad would extend cooperation to make it more meaningful and fruitful.