Wednesday, May 24 2006 12:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Asserting that the roundtable conference is the appropriate forum to resolve all complex problems pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said the decision of separatist groups not to participate in the meet has exposed them completely before the people.

"Instead of facilitating the roundtable conference to resolve the vexed issue and celebrate the event as a festival, some groups have chosen to give the call for hartal and boycott," the chief minister said.

"It is beyond ones comprehension to understand the logic behind such an attitude. They are being asked to come forward with a solution and discuss the roadmap but they neither come up with a proposal nor take part in joint efforts to settle the issue," he said.

"This amounts to misleading the people and beating about the bush to waste time," he said adding they have been exposed in front of the people. Roundtable conference is the appropriate forum to resolve all complex problems," he said in an interview with Doordarshan yesterday.

"No condition was attached to the participation in roundtable conference and the organizations outside the mainstream were free to express their viewpoint and discuss their proposals," Azad said.

This, he said, clearly indicates the seriousness and sincerity of the Centre in addressing the issue.

"Unless we jointly address the issue and come up with a concrete proposal, how is it possible to relieve the people from the perpetual agonies, miseries and trauma they have been put to for the last 58 years of petty politicking," he said.

He said the sincerity of holding the roundtable conference and resolving the issue amicably has been misread by the groups outside mainstream and resorted to be away from the conference, an opportunity that came in their way after a long time.

Azad said many efforts are afoot to create an atmosphere of peace and prosperity in the state, make the LoC a place of friendship and line of relationship instead of separating line that of conflict.

The Chief Minister said trade and commercial activities between two parts of Kashmir and with Pakistan is also in the offing.

"Yet another travelling route of Poonch-Rawalakote is being opened shortly to facilitate the people across LoC and series of people-to-people interactions have taken the stage in hitherto volatile atmosphere and the thaw in the relations between India and Oakistan is evident," he added.