Sunday, June 12 2005 18:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: The Kashmir issue has "now reached the resolution phase" and the next year (2006) or so will be "very crucial" in the context of resolving the problem, moderate Hurriyat faction chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said.

Farooq, who is on a visit to Pakistan along with eight other Kashmiri separatist leaders from the Valley, also supported Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's proposal on involvement of international community as guarantor in any agreement that would be reached with India to resolve the vexed issue.

"Now we have reached the resolution phase and we are talking on different options. The next year or so are very crucial in the context of resolving the Kashmir issue," he said in an interview to Pakistani daily 'Dawn' published today (Jun 12, 2005).

"I think that whenever such a situation will arise, the international community will automatically be involved in the matter, and we think that it should be involved in any such agreement on Kashmir," he said replying to whether China or the US should be involved as international guarantors.

"There are three nuclear powers in our neighbourhood - India, Pakistan and China. If India and Pakistan reach an agreement, then China will be interested in that because it also has a role and influence," Farooq said adding "the US also desires that Pakistan and India should move ahead in the context of Kashmir."

He said that their visit reflected the change in India's stance on Kashmir issue and claimed that it had now recognised its "disputed nature".