"Pak can't force India to include separatists in J-K talks"

Islamabad, : Pakistan on Tuesday made it clear to visiting separatist Kashmiri leaders that it cannot force India to include them in the dialogue process to resolve the Kashmir issue and said any solution to the problem has to be acceptable to the two countries as well as Kashmiris.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who held a two-hour dinner meeting here with a team separatist leaders from Kashmir headed by Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, said a solution to Kashmir issue has to be acceptable to India, Pakistan and Kashmiris and was possible only if takes into account wishes of the people of Kashmir.

He assured the separatist leaders that Pakistan would continue to consult the "true representatives" of Kashmiri people before taking any major Kashmir-related measures, state-run APP news agency said.

Differences among separatists remain

Meanwhile, the differences among visiting separatist leaders from Kashmir valley remained in fore on Tuesday as Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf separately after the military strongman held talks with the other leaders.

Pakistan's Geo TV said while Hurriyat Conference leaders held talks with Musharraf for over three hours but Malik met him separately. There was no official word from either side what transpired at the meeting between Musharraf and Malik.

Throughout the five-day visit of the separatist leaders, Malik had been keeping himself away from moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and his other colleagues who firmly backed the India-Pak peace process even while insisting on involvement of Kashmiris in India-Pak dialogue to resolve Kashmir issue.

Two days ago, Malik had met Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz separately, well after Farooq and his colleagues completed their talks.

Pakistani officials, who were embarrassed by the note of discord openly struck by Malik, said it was up to him to explain why he is choosing to keep away from the flock.