Omar holds talks with PM on autonomy

New Delhi, Dec 30 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday presented a copy of Justice Sagheer Ahmad's report on centre-state relations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urged him to implement its recommendations vis-a-vis the state at the earliest.

Officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said Abdullah thanked Manmohan Singh for the reports of all the five working groups which were announced and constituted after the second round table conference on Kashmir in May 2006.

While all other working groups presented their reports at the third roundtable conference in Delhi in April 2007, the fifth working group, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Ahmed, submitted its report to the chief minister last week in Jammu.

It is believed that the report has made a case for the restoration of autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir "to the extent possible".

Abdullah reportedly told the prime minister that the implementation of the recommendations of the working groups would help connect the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country in a big way.

This, he felt, would help bolster the confidence level and eliminate the trust deficit that exists.

During the meeting, various other issues including review of the relocation of security personnel, holding talks with separatist leaders and developmental issues were discussed.