Srinagar
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday pointed fingers at the Modi government for not holding dialogue with non-mainstream stakeholders to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue and was instead participating in the meeting which includes Taliban representatives.
Taking to social networking site Twitter Omar wrote: “If “non-official” participation in a dialogue that includes the Taliban is acceptable to the Modi government why not a “non-official” dialogue with non-mainstream stakeholders in J&K? Why not a “non-official” dialogue centred around J&K’s eroded autonomy & its restoration?.”
The news agency ANI quoted a source in the Union External Affairs Ministry as saying that India will not hold any discussions with Taliban representatives in the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan.
According to news agency ANI the source further stated, “India will be joining the Afghan process of reconciliation at a non-official level and Taliban will be in the same room as a part of the process.”
On Thursday, MEA headed by Sushma Swaraj had confirmed the participation and said, “Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level.”
“India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability, and prosperity to the country. India’s consistent policy has been that such efforts should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled and with the participation of the Government of Afghanistan,” ANI quoted MEA as saying.
