Foreign envoys to be briefed by Army on security situation in J&K today

Srinagar: The second batch of 25 foreign envoys, who are in Jammu and Kashmir, will be briefed about the security situation in the region by Army on Thursday (February 13, 2020). The foreign envoys will visit Jammu today, where they will hold meetings with Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory, district administration officials and civil society members of Jammu division.

The group comprises of representatives from Afghanistan, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, the European Union, France, Germany, Republic of Guinea, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Namibia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Rwanda, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

On Wednesday, the group visited Baramulla, Srinagar and Jammu and met representatives of the civil society, including youth from different ethnic, religious and socio-economic communities, local business and political leaders, civil administration and representatives of mainstream media.

They also received briefings about the development programmes being implemented, get an assessment of the security situation, and witness for themselves the progressive normalisation of the situation.

Last month, envoys of 15 countries 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 Jammu and Kashmir on January 9 and 10 to see first-hand efforts being made by the government in the region.

The demand for statehood, restoration of internet, development dominated the discourse during the envoy's meet with civil society in Srinagar.

US had called the visit an important step but raised concern over the detention of political leaders. US state dept's Alice Wells in a tweet had said, "Closely following @USAmbIndia & other foreign diplomats’ recent trip to Jammu & Kashmir. Important step. We remain concerned by the detention of political leaders and residents, and internet restrictions. We look forward to a return to normalcy."

In October 2019, a group of European parliamentarians were taken on a visit but that was in their private capacity.

(With Agency Inputs)