Press lukewarm on Kashmir peace hopes

Mr Vajpayee is meeting moderate Kashmiri leaders in Delhi

Papers in India and Pakistan do not expect much from peace talks between the Indian government and Kashmir's main separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference.

But they welcome the move - as well as the concessions which preceded it - as a channel worth exploring.

"Nobody hopes to achieve any concrete results from these talks," India's Hindi-language Dainik Bhaskar says.

"But there is reason to believe that the talks between the Hurriyat and the federal government is a positive initiative, which will ultimately yield some solid results."

The paper believes that Delhi's willingness to enter a dialogue resulted from the "positive attitude" of the Hurriyat alliance.

Pakistan is rethinking its 'Kashmir policy' of bleeding India in the Valley The Asian Age (India)

The Asian Age says in turn that the Hurriyat was kept on the "dialogue track" by concessions from both sides.

The Indian prime minister pledged last year that his administration would be "bold and innovative designers of a future architecture of peace and prosperity for the entire South Asian region," the paper recalls.

While Pakistan's President Musharraf has shown willingness to "lay aside the UN resolution on Kashmir and come 'half-way' beyond stated positions on Kashmir".

"Pakistan is rethinking its 'Kashmir policy' of bleeding India in the Valley," the paper adds. And it warns that "procrastination and hoodwinking will be costly for us all".

'Convergence'

Kashmir's Urdu-language Srinagar Times is likewise doubtful about prospects for peace.

"Indication are that nothing substantial will emerge from the talks, though both sides will express their intention to continue with discussions," the paper says.

The complete turnaround in the attitude of all parties in Kashmir is a good portent Commentary in Outlook (India)

In India'sThe Pioneer a commentary agrees that no "dramatic outcome" should be expected and "the meeting will most likely conclude with the two sides agreeing on continuing the dialogue".

However, a columnist in India's Outlook magazine is more optimistic.

"There is a visible convergence taking place - a focusing of energies that augurs well for the future," he writes.

"The complete turnaround in the attitude of all parties in Kashmir is a good portent."

But he stresses that for the peace process to make headway it will be essential to "build trust" between India and Pakistan, and to "wean away" Kashmiri militants from the path of violence.

Militants and Pakistan

Srinagar's Urdu-language Aftab takes the hardline of the Hurriyat to task of hiding behind "old, forgotten" UN resolutions - that call for a plebiscite in Kashmir - to further their own interests.

"Certain elements here, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, refer repeatedly to UN resolutions and demand that the Kashmir issue be solved in accordance with them."

"At the same time," it continues, "they add that if it is not possible to do so, the problem should be settled through tripartite talks."

Instead of presenting meaningless roadmaps for peace, India should start negotiations with Pakistan Khabrain (Pakistan)

"Our leaders have misled the people in the past and still pursue the same course," it says.

"If Pakistan refers to UN resolutions, they follow suit... To gain popularity they make demands they themselves don't believe in."

"They have only two aims: to acquire money and draw public attention to themselves," it concludes.

In Pakistan, papers remain critical of India.

"Instead of presenting meaningless roadmaps for peace, India should start negotiations with Pakistan on Kashmir," Islamabad's Khabrain declares.

And Peshawar's Mashriq is suspicious of Delhi's intentions.

"The reality of claims made by India about wanting peace can be judged from its turbulent relations with all its neighbouring countries," it says.

"If India is sincere in bringing peace to the region, why is it accumulating ever more weapons?"

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.