Srinagar: Scheduled to visit China, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday stoked further controversy saying Beijing has a "stake" in regional peace as certain parts of Kashmir are under its control.
"China is a global power and has huge influence in the region and as such China also has a direct link with Kashmir because certain parts of Kashmir are in Chinese control which have been given by Pakistan to them -- Aksai Chin and those areas," he said.
"I believe that China is not a party to the conflict (over Kashmir) but China has a stake as far as peace in the region is concerned. So, the Hurriyat Conference welcomes the approach adopted by China and America jointly in terms of addressing the issue of Kashmir in South Asia," he said.
He was referring to the Sino-US joint statement issued on Tuesday after a meeting between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.
It had said the two countries "support the improvement and growth of relations between India and Pakistan, and are ready to strengthen communication, dialogue and cooperation on issues related to South Asia and work together to promote peace, stability and development in that region." India has taken strong objection to reference to Kashmir in it.
The Mirwaiz said he was visiting China at the invitation of an NGO which wanted him to speak from the Kashmiri point of view on the Kashmir issue and South Asia.
"I would go and present the Hurriyat point of view which is basically that Hurriyat wants to address the Kashmir issue politically," he said.
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