mahim gupta
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 19: In a significant diplomatic statement during his maiden visit to the Valley, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Wednesday unequivocally affirmed that Jammu and Kashmir is "an important part of India" - a remark that comes even as Washington signalled it may soon ease its long-standing travel advisory for the region.
Gor's assertion, delivered on the ground in Srinagar, carries weight precisely because of where and when it was made: on his first-ever trip to the Union Territory, fresh out of a meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and against the backdrop of a security landscape he described as vastly improved.
"It is an important part of India. And so I'm here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place, and so I'm thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place," Gor told reporters, leaving little ambiguity about Washington's position.
The ambassador paired that statement with a pointed signal on the travel advisory front - an issue that has long shaped American perceptions of Kashmir's safety.
"The United States puts out travel warnings, and every so often we re-evaluate those travel warnings. I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something we're gonna look at," he said, adding that New Delhi and the J&K government had taken "incredible steps" to make the region safer.
"And so we will be looking at if the travel warning that is imposed, that is recommended by the United States, is something that should be downgraded," Gor added - a statement that, taken alongside his "important part of India" remark, positions the visit as more than symbolic.
Gor did not hold back on the region's appeal either, calling Jammu and Kashmir a "beautiful area" that he expects many Americans would enjoy visiting and exploring, both for its scenery and its emerging opportunities.
The ambassador described his sit-down with Chief Minister Abdullah as "very warm" and "very cordial," noting that both sides had chalked out follow-up measures to be carried forward in Washington and New Delhi. |
