Srinagar, July 21 -- Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asserted that the restoration of statehood is the foundation for reclaiming the Union Territory's special status, saying any discussion on constitutional safeguards or power-sharing would be meaningless without restoring Jammu and Kashmir's status as a state.

Addressing a press conference a day after the National Conference (NC) staged a protest in New Delhi demanding restoration of statehood, Abdullah said the party would continue to remind the Centre of its commitment and intensify its campaign until the promise is fulfilled.

Describing Monday's protest in the national capital as the beginning of a larger movement, the chief minister said the NC r...