Monday, September 5 2005 12:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Sept 5, 2005) holds talks with separatist leaders led by chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat conference Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who said they were seeking to formalise space for Kashmiris in the talks for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

"The situation is much more conducive and India and Pakistan relations are very much on track. Hurriyat's recent visit to Pakistan and endorsement of its policies by Islamabad and PoK regime has put the amalgam on a stronger wicket," Mirwaiz told sources ahead of the talks to be held at Prime Minister's residence in the evening.

"The agenda will be to complete the political process of finding some space for Kashmiris in the talks for the resolution of the issue," he said.

Besides Umer, the Hurriyat delegation comprises former Hurriyat chairmen Abdul Gani Bhat, Maulana Abbas Ansari and Bilal Lone and Fazal-ul-haq Qureshi.

The Prime Minister is likely to be assisted by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan. He is also likely to meet Centre's new Track-II man Saif-ud-din Soz before the parleys with the Hurriyat. Today's talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are Hurriyat's first with the UPA government since it came to power in May last year and are being held nine days ahead of Singh's meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly.

A confident looking Mirwaiz said the amalgam was aware that these talks were not going to bring about an overnight solution to the half-a- century old dispute.

"What we require is consolidation and continuity of the dialogue process with the Centre besides being allowed to hold talks with Pakistan regime

"This will complete the cycle of Hurriyat's triangular concept of dialogue whereby all the three, India, Pakistan and People of Kashmir, were represented at the talks," he said.

The talks, which are set to begin capping the amalgam's dithering for more than year, would focus on improving the ground situation in Kashmir including Hurriyat's demand of improving human rights condition in the valley.

Asked whether Hurriyat was averse to involvement of other separatist groups, Mirwaiz said, "Let the talks begin. Others will soon follow. I will like to make it clear that we are not against involvement of other groups."

Ahead of the talks, the Prime Minister had yesterday held a 45-minute long meeting with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Centre's pointsman for Kashmir N N Vohra to chalk out the strategy for the meeting. The Prime Minister's special envoy on Pakistan S K Lambha was present at the meeting.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister is understood to have heard the point of view of Hurriyat raised by them during the earlier rounds of talks with then Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on January 22 and March 27 last year.