Bilateralism unhelpful: Geelani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 2. The senior Kashmir leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has asserted that the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) had not rejected the Centre's offer of dialogue but merely reaffirmed its view that bilateralism was an unhelpful format for resolving the Kashmir problem. Mr. Geelani made these observations in an interview with a news website here.

According to Mr. Geelani, the only solution was tripartite talks - involving Pakistan, India and the ``people of Kashmir'' - and the United Nations resolutions. As he sees it, the ``the policy of the current military regime (in Pakistan) is very positive and realistic''. But he was harsh on the previous regimes in Islamabad.

``During the last 50 years, the weak policies and parasitic character of successive governments have reduced the Kashmir issue to a border dispute between two countries. The damage done by the Tashkent and Shimla agreements, and recently the Lahore declaration, to the international status of the Kashmir issue is irreparable. Pakistan has gained nothing and has lost a great deal in the last half century by forming an alliance with the U.S.,'' Mr. Geelani said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader was candid in saying, ``On a practical level, I am in favour of Kashmir (merging) with Pakistan. I believe the interest of Kashmir will be best served if it is part of Pakistan.'' He also justified `jehad', which he described as ``a struggle and exerting effort for a cause''. And, he asked rhetorically, ``If jehad is not justified in Kashmir, where else would it be?''

While Mr. Geelani was justifying the Hurriyat's non- response to Mr. K.C. Pant's offer, a two-member team of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party arrived here with a communication from their president, Mr. Shabir Shah, seeking clarifications on the proposed talks.

The team, consisting of Mr. Saleem Geelani, JKDFP chief organiser, and Maulana Abdullah Tari, secretary-general, is likely to meet Mr. Pant tomorrow.

Mr. Shah, while expressing his willingness to sit across the table with Mr. Pant, had observed that he would need some clarifications.

Mr. Shah and his party has, like the Hurriyat, stressed the centrality of Pakistan's role in any resolution of the Kashmir problem.

The Centre is aware that Pakistan and its jehadi outfits have threatened various groups and individuals who may be inclined to enter into a dialogue with Mr. Pant.

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