Click to play videoSrinagar: On August 3, 2000, top commanders of the the largest terrorist organisation in Kashmir - Hizb-ul-Mujahideen - accompanied by mediator Fazl Haq Qureshi reached the historic Nehru guest house in Srinagar, for peace dialogue with Central Government representatives.
However, the talks failed and an intense escalation of violence left scores dead.
Now after six years, another offer has been put on the table, when last month Hizbul Supremo Saluhuddin told the Kashmir News Service that they were willing to initiate fresh dialogue with New Delhi.
The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen has recently been sending out vibes that it's ready for a dialogue with the Centre, close at heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf.
Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have put the ball in the Centre's court.
Says PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti, "It is for the Government of India to respond. The talks should mean some kind of silence of the guns from both the sides."
CNN-IBN has also learnt that at least two Central Government officials may have met top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commanders in a third country.
J&K Chief Minister Guhlam Nabi Azad has indicated that a ceasefire around Ramzan could be a possibility.
The Center too is mulling over the issue and all are welcoming it.
Says President National Conference, Omar Abdullah, "If the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen would be ready for dialogue, then it would send a very positive signal to the rest of the state and also perhaps some of the other separatist organisations. We have to learn from our mistakes. We had a dialogue in 2000 but unfortunately it was short-lived."
Sources have revealed to CNN-IBN that Hizb-ul leaders are talking about the modalities of the ceasefire, if at all it happens. But a decision is likely to be taken only after the outcome of Manmohan Musharraf talks in Cuba.
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