Tripartite talks can help resolve Kashmir issue, says former Hurriyat Conference chairman Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari

Srinagar: Former Hurriyat Conference chairman Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari on Tuesday said tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir can lead to a resolution of the Kashmir issue. [caption id=“attachment_4172617” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Maulana File image of Mohammad Abbas Ansari. Facebook/ Maulana.Abbas[/caption] “We want good relations with both India and Pakistan, we won’t go with either of them. For resolving the Kashmir issue, talks should be held between India, Pakistan and representatives of Jammu and Kashmir,” Ansari told reporters. The former Hurriyat chairman was reacting to the appointment of former IB chief Dineshwar Sharma as the Centre’s representative for initiating sustained dialogue with stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. Ansari said he did not have much hope that the present government will go ahead with tripartite talks as was done in 2005. “When I was the chairman of Hurriyat (in 2005), we visited Pakistan and also had talks with Delhi.  We also visited Azad Kashmir (PoK). That is how to move forward, " he added. Separatist leaders — Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik — have not so far reacted to Sharma’s appointment.