Wajahat calls on Geelani

Srinagar, Jan 13: In a significant development in the Quiet Diplomacy” initiated by the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, the Chief Information Commissioner, Wajahat Habibullah, Wednesday called on the Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, at the latter’s New Delhi residence, sources told Greater Kashmir, in an apparent move to the octogenarian and influential separatist leader.
While Geelani confirmed that Wajahat had invited him to join “Quite Diplomacy”, the later denied having made any such offer.
“It was a courtesy call as he was recently operated upon. During our meeting, I did make a ‘passing’ mention of ‘Quite Diplomacy’ and wanted to know whether he was part of it,” Wajahat told Greater Kashmir over phone from New Delhi.
“I also discussed Right To Information Act with Geelani and, during our 45 minute meeting, I had tabak maaz and tea with him,” he added.
However, Geelani contradicted Wajahat’s statement. “He (Wajahat) invited me to ‘Quiet Diplomacy’ and told me that the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, is an honest person.”
“I made it clear to him that if India accepts Kashmir as a disputed territory, demilitarises Jammu and Kashmir and releases all political prisoners, then only Hurriyat would be ready to join the talks. Talks for the sake of talks have neither yielded anything in the past nor would yield anything in future,” he said.
Geelani reminded Wajahat of his previous meetings with him. “I told Wajahat that in 1998 he had come to me with an offer of talks. At that time also, I put the same conditions. I told him that you never returned after that.”
“Similarly, R K Mishra and Admiral Nayar called on me and after listening to my agenda never came back,” Geelani told Wajahat.
Sources said that Wajahat told Geelani that on Track II level also Kashmir issue was being discussed and latter’s inclusion was important for any settlement of the dispute.