Invite to Hurriyat not appropriate: India tells Pakistan

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) India on Friday advised Pakistan that it would "not be appropriate" for Pakistan’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Sartaj Aziz to meet with Hurriyat representatives in India.

The government’s reaction comes ahead of the two-day NSA-level talks scheduled for August 23-24 here.

"India has advised Pakistan yesterday (Thursday) that it would not be appropriate for Sartaz Aziz to meet with Hurriyat representatives in India," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Twitter.

"Such a meeting would not be in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Ufa understanding to jointly work to combat terrorism."

"We have also sought confirmation of our proposed agenda for the NSA-level talks that was conveyed to the Pakistani side on 18 Aug 2015," he wrote.

Separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir said the Pakistani envoy in Delhi invited them for talks with Sartaj Aziz before he holds talks with his Indian counterpart.

Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other separatist leaders such as Yasin Malik and Naeem Khan have been invited by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit for talks on August 23.