Monday, June 13 2005 17:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: With Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf talking of various options to resolve the Kashmir issue, moderate Hurriyat faction has said the country does not have a solution to offer on the vexed problem.

Playing down the optimism generated by the visit of Kashmiri separatist leaders, Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said they had "very honest discussion" with Musharraf and their understanding was that "Pakistan doesn't have a solution to offer to Kashmiri people."

Without naming Musharraf, he referred to the various options being suggested to resolve the issue and said, "I do not think we have reached that stage."

Addressing a symposium on Kashmir in Islamabad yesterday (Jun 12, 2005) organised by the 'Dawn' group of newspapers, Farooq said, "There is no ready-made solution" to the Kashmir problem and the best mode of moving forward could be tripartite talks with India, Pakistan, and Kashmiri leadership sitting on the same table.

But, he said, since India would not agree to this, the alternative for the moment could be a triangular dialogue with Kashmiris talking to both Pakistan and India separately and Pakistan and India talking between themselves.

Farooq said they were still exploring the mode of their participation in the peace process already going on between Pakistan and India and they would be going to New Delhi for talks with the Indian leadership after the present visit.

He said some people thought before his delegation's visit that a solution had already been decided and they would only put their thumb impressions. "... We are at the same place where we were 57 years ago," he said.