The Indian government and a frontline Kashmiri rebel group agreed yesterday to set ground rules for a ceasefire, raising some hopes for and end to the violence that has divided the Himalayan territory.
New Delhi's talks with Hizbul Mujahideen came less than 48 hours after a series of guerrilla attacks across Jammu and Kashmir state had left at least 90 people dead. A further 11 people, including 10 separatists, were killed in an explosion and gun battles yesterday.
The Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pande, said in a statement after the "positive" meeting that a bipartisan committee would meet soon to set the pro-Pakistan group's truce in stone.
The landmark meeting with four Hizbul Mujahideen "commanders", two of whom arrived wearing masks, was held at a heavily guarded guest house in Srinagar, the summer capital of India's only Muslim-majority state.
"Today we have agreed the modalities for preparing grounds for restoration of peace should be pursued seriously so elements opposed to this process could be identified and isolated," said Mr Pande in his statement.
There was no immediate comment from Hizbul, which last week declared a three-month ceasefire, drawing criticism from a raft of other Pakistan-based Islamic militant organisations.
However, a few hours earlier Hizbul's spokesman in Pakistan had threatened to end the ceasefire next Tuesday if New Delhi did not agree to unconditional peace talks which included Islamabad.
"Hizbul Mujahideen has provided a last and golden chance to India after putting 12 years of activity and credibility at stake by announcing a unilateral ceasefire," said Mr Salim Hashmi.
India has never before agreed to three-way talks on the disputed region with both Kashmiris and its arch-enemy Pakistan.
The ceasefire talks began under the shadow of Tuesday night's massacres, which India believes were the work of hardcore guerrilla groups bent on sabotaging the tentative peace moves.
But Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who flew to Kashmir with the opposition leader, Ms Sonia Gandhi, to commiserate with families of those who died, vowed not to be "cowed by terrorism".
Mr Vajpayee took a helicopter to Pahalgam resort town, where 22 Hindu pilgrims were among 30 people shot dead in the first of seven lightning attacks on civilians.