Foreign Envoys Meet NSA Ajit Doval, Discuss Situation in J&K

Foreign envoys who visited Jammu and Kashmir, will meet National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval today.

Members of a foreign delegation enjoy shikara ride in Kashmiri traditional boats, on Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir, 12 February 2020.

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam/The Quint)

The 25-member delegation of foreign envoys which visited Jammu and Kashmir met National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday, 14 February.

During the meeting, they discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

(Photo: ANI)

(Photo: ANI)

On Thursday, 13 February, the envoys met Chinar Corps Commander Lt General KJS Dhillon and they were briefed about the security situation in the region by Army, where they held meetings with Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory, district administration officials and civil society members of Jammu division.

Second batch of foreign diplomats in the valley(Photo: ANI)

Foreign diplomat with Lt General KJS Dhillon(Photo: ANI)

3 Detained in Srinagar for Protesting Foreign Envoys’ J&K Visit

Meanwhile, three young men were detained in Srinagar on Wednesday, 12 February, after they staged a protest against the visit of foreign envoys to Jammu and Kashmir, police said. They termed the visit “a waste of money”, as visuals emerged showing the envoys enjoying a Shikara ride in the Dal Lake.

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

The foreign diplomats arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday, 12 February, for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

The envoys are from the European Union, South America and the Gulf countries, officials said.

Diplomats Met Representatives of the Civil Society

On Wednesday, 13 February, the group met representatives of the civil society, which included youth from various ethnicity, religion and socio-economic communities.

This comes six months after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on 5 August.

According to MEA sources, out of the 36 Ministers who visited J&K, more than 30 submitted a report to the Home Ministry, and the Home Ministry sent the report to PMO. In this report, ministers gave feedback and suggestions for speedy development of J&K after the abrogation of Article 370.

‘Indian Govt Should be Questioned on Detention of Kashmiri Leaders’: Iltija Mufti

Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti tweeted that the foreign diplomats who are visiting Kashmir, should question the Government of India on the internet ban, muzzling of local media and detention of 3 Kashmiri leaders under Public Safety Act (PSA). Iltija Mufti has been using her mother’s Twitter handle.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti along with National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah and NC patron Farooq Abdullah have been detained under the draconian PSA.

Second Visit by Foreign Diplomats Post Abrogation of Article 370

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

(Photo: Muneeb ul islam)

The visit came ahead of a possible voting by the European Union (EU) Parliament on a debate held last month on Kashmir and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

At that time, the voting was deferred and it may now take place during the next plenary session of the EU Parliament to be held from 31 March.

The EU envoy earlier had refused to participate in the previous visit, stating that they needed time to discuss among themselves.

“We’ve come here to see normalisation of the situation after the abrogation of Article 370. We’ve seen commerce happening, streets full of people; normalcy returning. Slowly, but surely, things will get better.”

Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, Dean of Diplomatic Corps in India Ambassador

The fresh batch of diplomats also includes EU representatives from Poland, Bulgaria and Czech Republic.

This visit assumes greater significance because the India-EU summit will take place in Brussels next month and is expected to be attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

“We came here and want to talk to people, any hasty reaction right now would not be good. So let us talk to people, let us exchange notes, then will speak.”

Walter Lindner, German Ambassador to India

Earlier, a delegation of 15 EU MPs including US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and diplomats from Vietnam, South Korea, Brazil, Niger, Nigeria, Morocco, Guyana, Argentina, Philippines, Norway, Maldives, Fiji, Togo, Bangladesh and Peru visited Kashmir on 9 and 10 January to assess the ground situation.

The International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies, a Delhi-based think tank, which had organised the visit had faced criticism for choosing right-leaning delegates for the visit. Meanwhile the government stated that the European parliamentarians were on a "private visit".

News agency ANI spoke to some of the envoys who visited Kashmir earlier and reported that the diplomats expressed satisfaction and hoped for the return of normalcy in the region soon.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)