Friday, February 17 2006 12:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led faction of Hurriyat Conference has rejected the invitation for next week's round table conference on the Kashmir issue.

A Hurriyat spokesman said Geelani was contacted last evening (Feb 16 2006) by a Union Home Ministry official for the February 24 conference, called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, but the invitation was declined.

Geelani told the official that the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan and talks between the Centre and some Kashmiri leaders have not brought about any change in the ground situation, the spokesman told sources.

"This makes us believe that such exercises are fruitless. We are not participting in this exercise," he said, according to the spokesman.

Geelani said New Delhi is "yet to exhibit any flexibility over Kashmir, especially by not revoking the 1995 resolution passed by Parliament stating that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India."