Jammu, Jan 5 (IANS) Union minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Wednesday asked the separatists to come forward and engage in a dialogue with the central government to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Commenting on the observations of Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq that Kashmiris had lost faith in the UN, Abdullah told mediapersons here: "He's right that the UN has failed on some counts, but the best thing for the Mirwaiz is to open a dialogue with the centre."

Abdullah, who is here in connection with sorting out the reported differences between his party and the Congress - the two ruling coalition partners - maintained that the "coalition is strong".

His son Omar Abdullah is the chief minister of the state.

Making it clear that the state government would not be responsible for the security of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) activists visiting the Valley to hoist the Indian flag, Omar said they can do so at their "own risk" as it was a pointless exercise when a minister is going to unfurl the tricolor on Republic Day Jan 26.

The BJP's youth wing has announced it would unfurl the tricolor at Lal Chowk Jan 26.

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik has threatened the BJP with dire consequences if they attempted the flag hoisting.