New Delhi: Senior American diplomats visited Jammu and Kashmir Monday to meet various political leaders in the Union territory, including National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence.
This comes ahead of crucial assembly polls in J&K, which will be the first since the Narendra Modi government scrapped its special status by abrogating Article 370 in August 2019. The former state was then broken into the two Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The visit also comes two weeks after US Consul General Jennifer Larson visited All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi at his house in Hyderabad.
The American delegation to J&K included Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs at the US Embassy in Delhi Graham Mayer as well as First Secretary Gary Applegarth and Political Counselor Abhiram Ghadyalpatil.
Mayer last visited the Valley in August 2023 and had called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.
Government sources said the visit is part of a diplomatic outreach to meet all parties and get a chance to assess the situation ahead of polls in the former state.
ThePrint contacted a spokesperson of the US Embassy in Delhi who said they could not divulge “private diplomatic conversations”.
The visit by the American delegation comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden held a phone call late Monday night. It is also days after the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019.
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‘Relook travel advisories to J&K’
During his meeting with the diplomats, Abdullah called for a relook at travel advisories for J&K and easing restrictions for visits. Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi was also present.
Apart from Abdullah, the American diplomats spoke with former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu. Mattu has met the diplomats multiple times before, including last August. They had discussed “Srinagar’s transformation, prospects of tourism growth and opportunities for investment”, according to a post by Mattu on X.
Met US Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Graham D. Mayer, First Secretary Political Affairs Gary B. Applegarth and Political Specialist Abhiram Ghadyalpatil at my residence.
Discussed Srinagar’s transformation, prospects of tourism growth and opportunities for investment. pic.twitter.com/pSC5ukFDRQ
— Junaid Azim Mattu (@Junaid_Mattu) August 22, 2023
In August 2021, Mayer and other American diplomats also visited Ladakh where they met Tashi Gyalson, chief executive councilor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. Gyalson lost the Ladakh constituency in the Lok Sabha polls, which he contested from the National Democratic Alliance.
Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, @USAndIndia Graham Mayer calls on the Chairman, LAHDC Leh @tashi_gyalson at the Council Secretariat today.
Counselor Graham was accompanied by Senior Advisor, Labour & Political, A Sukesh and Political Officer, Alex LeFevre.@DIPR_Leh pic.twitter.com/Qi5Wt0QZYr
— LAHDC LEH (@LAHDC_LEH) August 18, 2021
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Comprehensive report. So the G-20 tourism meet in J&K, did it help with any travel advisory easing from any country?