By IANS,
Srinagar : As part of New Delhi’s “quiet diplomacy” to solve the problems in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir, a team of top officials is presently in the valley to do the background work for restoration of stalled talks between the central government and separatist leaders, informed sources said Wednesday.
The team comprises senior home ministry officials and those from the Prime Minister’s Office, the sources said.
They are expected to meet chief of the Hurriyat Conference faction Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other separatist leaders to get a feedback on the dialogue process, said an official privy to the development.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had announced in Kashmir last week that the central government was working “on quiet diplomacy to arrive at a unique, acceptable and honourable solution to the problems in Kashmir”, raising expectations that the stalled talks with separatists would resume.
The Mirwaiz had welcomed the statement saying it was a “positive development”.
The visit of the central government officials comes ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tour of the valley Oct 28 when he will inaugurate the 12-km rail link between Qazigund and Khannabal in south Kashmir Anantnag district.
The team is also reviewing the security situation before the prime minister’s visit.
Sources said that given the readiness of the separatist leaders to re-start the dialogue with the central government, Manmohan Singh is expected to make “some important announcement” during his visit.