Time ripe for talks with Pak: Sayeed

CHANDIGARH: ''Track two Diplomacy'' and people to people contact are the only means by which the relations between India and Pakistan can become cordial feels the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Mufti, who was in the city to attend the ''Bhog'' ceremony of Group Captain J S Kahlon, commissioner civil aviation, J&K, government, who had died in a Helicopter crash near Srinagar on August 5.
Praising the confidence building measures being taken by both the governments, Mufti said that due to the thawing of tension, the environment was ripe to begin talks on all issues including Kashmir.
He was talking to newspersons at the residence of Kahlon where he had gone to meet Kahlon''s widow and family.
Mufti said that even the Hurriyat Conference was willing to enter into a dialogue and the leaders of both the counties, Vajpayee and Musharraf should talk if any headway is to be made in the relations between two countries.
He said that his government''s main efforts were to initiate economic development and providing a healing touch to the militancy ravaged people of the state.
Mufti appreciated the PM''s invitation to walk with India on the road to peace in his speech to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He said that the statements should be translated into action on the ground level.
"People of both countries want peace and dialogue is the only means of finding a solution," added Mufti before rushing off to the airport to his waiting plane.