Srinagar to host next roundtable

The second roundtable conference on the Kashmir issue will be held in Srinagar on May 25. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will preside over the conference, which will take stock of the progress made on issues discussed in the February 25 round table in Delhi, apart from taking up fresh issues. It will be for the first time that any roundtable at such a high level is held in Srinagar.

The second roundtable conference on the Kashmir issue will be held in Srinagar on May 25. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will preside over the conference, which will take stock of the progress made on issues discussed in the February 25 round table in Delhi, apart from taking up fresh issues. It will be for the first time that any roundtable at such a high level is held in Srinagar.

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According to the sources, separatist groups which had boycotted the first round are expected to take part in the second round. There are firm indications that the moderate Hurriyat Conference group led by Mirwaiz Omer Farooq will take part in these talks.

A team of senior officials is approaching Hurriyat leaders to persuade them to come with a road map on the Kashmir issue, the sources said.

The Prime Minister has already declared that the options of autonomy and self-rule will be discussed.