NEW DELHI (Agencies) Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram said Wednesday the government was prepared to withdraw a significant number of troops from Occupied Kashmir. The presence of Indian soldiers in Kashmir, especially in the Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley, has long been a major source of tension in the region where freedom fighters have battled New Delhis rule for two decades. Chidambaram said Kashmiri groups have responded positively to the Centres initiative of quiet talks and hoped a solution will emerge. But he said there would be no talks with Pakistan unless it brings to book the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks. Briefing lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha on the state of domestic security, Chidambaram noted that violence in the region had dropped in the past few years. I would take what appears to be a risky step of withdrawing a significant number of battalions of security forces in Kashmir, the Minister told members of parliament, according to the Press Trust of India. We are now transferring more and more law and order duties to the Kashmir police, the news agency quoted Chidambaram as saying. Chidambaram, however, did not state how many troops would be withdrawn or give a timetable for their pullout. He said the decision had been taken in view of improvement of law and order situation in the state. Replying to a debate in the parliament on internal security, he said the government would maintain zero tolerance towards terrorism, whether it is in the shape of 'jihadi violence or Hindu extremist violence. Answering supplementaries, he said there would be no talks with Pakistan unless it brings to book the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks. There are no talks with Pakistan, he said. The Prime Minister has already stated that unless Pakistan brings to book the preparatory of 26/11 Mumbai (terror) attacks and dismantles terrorist infrastructure (in that country), there is no scope for talks with Pakistan, Chidambaram said. The Indian Minister said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in October stated that talks could be held with anyone who has any meaningful idea for promoting peace and development in Kashmir. Manmohan was also willing to carry all sections of the people in resolving the political and economic problems of Jammu and Kashmir, Chidambaram said. He said some groups have indicated an interest in holding talks and pointed out that there was tremendous improvement in security situation in the state during the past few months. Replying to questions, he said the government would not shy away from talking to any organisation, some of which are demanding self-rule. The Indian Home Minister said there was very positive response and the government was willing to talk to every shade of political opinion in Occupied Kashmir. These will be quiet talks, quiet diplomacy... far away from the glare of media, he said, adding he could not share details of the talks at this moment. Noting that the response to the proposal was encouraging, he hoped a solution will emerge. Chidambaram said Kashmir had a number of groups with a number of demands. Even though some groups had demanded right of self-determination or self-rule, I do not think we should shy away from talking to any group. Asked if Occupied Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah too shared the Centres perception of having quiet talks, he said, I think I know Omar Abdullahs position... we are on the same page. He said India is as vulnerable to a terror attack today as it was a few months ago because terrorist groups have forged alliances against the country. Groups like LT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) are now coordinating their action. One of these groups appears to have forged ties with Al-Qaeda, he said. He alleged that the epicentre of the cross-border terrorism is the junction point of Afghanistan and Pakistan and since India is in the region, we are vulnerable.