Kashmir panel briefs Blackwill

NEW DELHI: Members of the Kashmir Committee and US ambassador Robert D Blackwill, along with two of his aides, met at lawyer Ram Jethmalani’s residence on Monday and discussed the peace process initiated by the committee in Jammu and Kashmir.
The committee members apprised Blackwill about the achievements made by this citizens’ peace process initiated by it to find a durable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio.Describing the hour-long meeting as ‘‘very cordial and positive’’, Jethmalani, who heads the committee, said: ‘‘We had a clearer understanding of each other and resolved to work in coordination in future.’’
He said Washington appreciated the efforts of the Kashmir Committee and added that the US had a ‘‘healthy interest’’ in ensuring a durable solution to the issue to avoid ‘‘a nuclear holocaust’’. He said as part of their diplomatic thrust, the committee members had also met the Japanese ambassador recently.
‘‘The meeting was very fruitful. The US ambassador asked many probing questions and expressed his desire that the committee should keep close touch with him,’’ said committee member and The Times of India executive managing editor Dileep Padgaonkar. The other members who attended the meeting were former Union law minister Shanti Bhushan, former diplomat V K Grover and committee convener Ashok Bhan.
Padgaonkar refuted minister of state for external affairs and National Conference chief Omar Abdullah’s allegations that the committee was conspiring with the separatists to dethrone his party. ‘‘It is regretful that Omar has reacted to some wrong reports about the Kashmir Committee.’’
He said that Omar’s ‘‘contention that committee is engaged in a conspiracy to weaken the NC is a figment of his imagination’’. The committee, he said, had no interest in the outcome of the elections. ‘‘The committee has had fruitful discussions with Farooq Abdullah and it hopes to continue to talk to him in the future,’’ Padgaonkar added.
About the election process underway in the state, he said: ‘‘We hope the government will keep its promise to talk to the representatives of the people after the polls and also to those who did not participate in the elections.’’