‘I want to try one more time’

‘‘If Pakistan announces tomorrow that cross-border terrorism has stopped and it has destroyed all training camps, I am willing to send a senior foreign ministry official to Islamabad to finalise the agenda the same day,’’ he said, adding that he wanted to talk soon.

‘‘I want to try one more time honestly. I am willing to talk on any issue including Jammu and Kashmir. And I hope to get a favourable response from Pakistan,’’ he said.

He said that India and Pakistan could not keep up the hype of an impending war anymore. ‘‘Now is an opportunity to end it,’’ he added. The situation in the world is changing.

Giving the example of the Iraq war, Vajpayee said, ‘‘It is a warning to the entire world, specially the developing countries.’’ Vajpayee called his Mission Kashmir ‘‘A New Beginning’’ and thus wished to avoid unpleasant things to push forward this renewed peace initiative. He said he did not deliberately mention Kargil or even the Nadimarg massacre because he wanted to make a new beginning.

And it seems that Vajpayee’s new beginning is taking roots in the Valley. The separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference looks extremely optimistic. ‘‘There seems to be a change in attitude and style. Let us hope it is the beginning of a brighter future,’’ Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said. ‘‘There is no escape route other than dialogue.”

This time Vajpayee’s promise of a dialogue will prove itself in just one day and that is exactly what Hurriyat is waiting for. Centre’s new Kashmir negotiator N N Vohra will come for a week-long visit tomorrow. Vajpayee did suggest that Vohra’s mission would include talks with separatists. ‘‘He will have invitations, not just empty envelopes when he comes here,’’ Vajpayee said.

On what he termed as a day of new beginnings, Vajpayee announced a special package for the state, his second in as many years, which addressed unemployment, infrastructure and tourism.

Vajpayee said he did not expect Pakistan to make a public declaration but said that its behaviour and activities will reveal its intentions. As long as terrorists were being trained for infiltration, there could not be any meaningful talks, he said.

Addressing a press conference, Vajpayee clarified that it was not a change in India’s stand but a ‘‘beginning’’. He said they could not give up or stop trying because earlier efforts had failed. ‘‘I will have to answer in Delhi tomorrow about the initiative I have taken,’’ the pm said, indicating the mood of his party colleagues.

On the question of mediation, he said involvement of a third party always made matters worse: ‘‘Let the issue remain between India and Pakistan. Anyway, the entire world is prepared to give us advice and we listen.” Reacting to criticism that he was selling dreams, Vajpayee said that he was no dream merchant: ‘‘But if I dream, I also see it coming true.”

‘‘He literally put his stamp on our party manifesto,’’ a senior PDP leader said. ‘‘We just hope all goes well.’’ ‘‘By organising such a big show for Vajpayee, Mufti has played a gamble,’’ said Tahir Mohideen, editor of Chattan. ‘‘If dialogues work out, Mufti will go to people and claim he managed what NC could not for years.”