EU envoys call off meeting with Geelani
They Have Dishonoured Will Of Kashmiris: Hurriyat (G)
UMER MAQBOOL
Srinagar, May 14: In a surprise move, the visiting delegation of the European Union envoys Friday cancelled their proposed meeting with Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah apparently for his condemnation of the Osama bin Laden's killing and organising here the Al Qaeda chief's funeral prayers in absentia.
The five member EU delegation on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the situation was scheduled to meet Geelani at his Hyderpora residence this afternoon. However half an hour before the meeting was to commence, the EU delegation conveyed to the amalgam, through the state's protocol officer, that the meeting has been called off.
In a statement faxed to Greater Kashmir, EU delegation said; "A meeting was initially planned for the May 14 with Syed Ali Shah Geelani, but given the latest events, the EU delegation considers it inopportune to hold the meeting."
Although the EU delegation didn't refer to Geelani's stance on Osama killing, but sources close to the delegation said that holding funeral prayers of Al Qaeda chief in absentia by Geelani was the primary reason for the cancellation of the meeting.
Reacting to the EU action, Hurriyat (G) termed the decision as unfortunate, saying that "by staying away, they have dishonoured the majority will of Kashmiris".
"We have made it clear that we can have difference with the ways of Osama, but disrespecting his body was a grave human rights violation. We were expecting that EU which claims to be a champion of human rights would also raise its voice against this shameful incident," Hurriyat (G) spokesman Ayaz Akbar said.
Meanwhile, the EU delegation also skipped a meeting with the Kashmir Bar Association, whom they were scheduled to meet at 4:00 pm here.
"We were informed by in-charge protocol and security to the delegation that the meeting stands cancelled," General Secretary of Bar Association GN Shaheen told Greater Kashmir.
"The members of the visiting delegation are believed to be on fact finding mission to Jammu and Kashmir, but either the delegation members are not being allowed to meet the relevant and concerned sections of the society or they don't want to know the truth about the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Shaheen said.
Meanwhile, the Bar has dispatched memorandum to European Union High Representative and vice president of its delegation to India to convey their displeasure over calling off their meet and to seek their intervention in resolution of Kashmir issue.
The handout issued by EU however didn't mention the reasons for the cancellation of their meeting with Bar.
When contacted, First Secretary of EU Philipp Gross said that they cannot comment over it. "We are not authorized to talk about this, but we have issued a statement regarding cancellation of meeting with Geelani," he said.
The delegation today called on Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma and discussed several issues regarding health sector with him.
The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) also submitted a report on "custodial killings, disappearances and the killings in Valley" to the EU delegation, last evening.
The delegation also called on the state Congress chief Prof Saifuddin Soz and the Director General of police Kuldeep Khoda here today.
The visiting EU delegation comprised Ambassador of European Union to India Daniele Smadja, Ambassador of Ireland Kenneth Thompson, Ambassador of Belgium Pierre Vaesen, First Secretary EU Philipp Gross and Attache EU Anne Vaugier-Chatterge.
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