US ambassador calls J&K ‘important part of India’, Pak summons top diplomat to register protest
Here's the latest protest news from across India:
US ambassador Sergio Gor on Wednesday described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India” during a visit to Srinagar, prompting Pakistan to summon the senior-most American diplomat in Islamabad to register a protest.
Adding to this, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in conversation with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, in Srinagar on Wednesday. (ANI) Gor, the first US ambassador to travel to Jammu and Kashmir in six years, made the remarks after a meeting with chief minister Omar Abdullah. He also indicated that the US could look into downgrading a travel advisory for Kashmir in view of the improvement in the situation in the region.
Meanwhile, “This is an important part of India and so I am here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place and I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place,” Gor shared while in conversation with the local media along with Abdullah.
Notably, Gor, who is also the US special envoy for South and Central Asia, noted that the US has a practice of reviewing travel warnings that it issues for its citizens and shared: “I cannot make any big announcements here today but it is something we are going to look at.”
As per the latest buzz, Both the Central and Jammu and Kashmir governments “have made some incredible steps in keeping this area safer”, he shared. “We will be looking at if the travel warning that is recommended by the US is something that should be downgraded because as I shared earlier this is a beautiful area. I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty,” Gor shared.
In further updates, If the US state department downgrades the threat level, it could turn out to be a major boost for the tourism sector in Kashmir. Tourism accounts for 7% of the state GDP.
On top of that, Hours later, Pakistan’s foreign ministry summoned the US charge d’affaires in Islamabad, Natalie Baker, and served her a “strong demarche” on Gor’s visit to Kashmir and his “incorrect statement regarding the status of the disputed territory”.
A statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry described Gor’s remarks on the status of Jammu and Kashmir as “factually incorrect”.
Source: Hindustan Times