New row hits Kashmir process

Indian soldiers have been carrying out searches in Srinagar

The fledgling peace process in Indian-administered Kashmir has run into a new round of argument, after comments made by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Mr Vajpayee told parliament that any deal would have to be bound by the Indian constitution - in effect keeping Kashmir within India.

But the main rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen - which has always rejected the Indian constitution as a basis for peace - said the statement dashed all hopes of the process succeeding.

The group has already been threatening to call off its ceasefire, which was announced a fortnight ago - paving the way for an unprecedented meeting last week between the Indian Government and rebel representatives.

Hizbul's Syed Salahuddin: World can decide who is impeding process

More than a dozen other Kashmiri rebel groups have refused to join the ceasefire, and Hizbul Mujahideen has threatened that its own unilateral ceasefire will end on Tuesday unless Pakistan is allowed to join the peace talks.

Mr Vajpayee told parliament on Monday that talks involving Pakistan were ruled out unless Islamabad created what he called a "conducive" atmosphere.

Mr Vajpayee also said all dialogue would be within the Indian constitution, but the government would not stop talking if some of the issues raised went beyond it.

He said his government was determined to pursue peace.

Decision due

But the Hizbul Mujahideen commander in Indian-administered Kashmir, Abdul Majid Dar, has reiterated that Pakistan must be involved in the talks.

We are still in a position to continue our targeted combat missions and stun India but we kept our guns silent temporarily to wait for a proper response

Hizbul supreme commander Syed Salahuddin

He also ruled out any possibility of the talks being held within the framework of the Indian constitution.

The rebel group now says a decision on whether to continue or withdraw its ceasefire will be taken by its command council.

Hizbul's supreme commander, Syed Salahuddin, has also accused the Indian Government of dodging the group's central demand for peace talks involving Pakistan.

"Let the world community decide by itself who is laying the impediments," he said in a letter to foreign diplomats in Pakistan.

"We are still in a position to continue our targeted combat missions and stun India but we kept our guns silent temporarily to wait for a proper response."

The Hizbul Mujahideen ceasefire, and the start of talks with the government, had raised hopes of a breakthrough in the long separatist fight in Jammu and Kashmir.

The fighting has claimed more than 25,000 lives since 1989.