Conference on Kashmir kicks off

December 12, 2004
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The much talked about conference on teh disputed territory of Kashmir has kicked off in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu, on Sunday.

The meeting is being participated in by about 50 prominent politicians, former bureaucrats, former army generals and intellectuals from neighboring India and Pakistan, according to reports.

A two-member delegation of Hurriyat Conference comprising Conference leaders, Mirwaiz Omer Farooq and Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, arrived in Kathmandu Saturday to take part in a conference of Kashmiri leaders from two sides of the Line of Control (LoC) – the border line that divides the Indian-administered Kashmir from the Pakistan-administered Kashmir– being organized at the initiation of the Nobel Peace Prize winning organisation, Pugwash, a think tank on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

The two-day conference, besides improving communications between the people from the two sides, is expected to discuss proposals, which ultimately would help “improve conditions” of life on both sides, reports quoting Pugwash secretary general Paul Cotta said.

Media has been denied access to the conference– that is underway at the posh Hyatt Regency hotel in the Nepali capital.

Despite repeated attempts by Nepalnews, hotel staff refused to give access to organisers of the conference. On Friday, Hyatt Regency even refused to acknowledge that such an important conference was being held in their hotel.

Meanwhile, Nepali officials have told reporters that they had granted permission to organize the conference “as the concerned countries did not have any objection to the meeting.”

Earlier, Nepal had not permitted to convene any meeting on the controversial issue of Kashmir in its territory keeping in mind the sensitivities of the Indian government. nepalnews.com pd Dec 12 04