Foreign diplomats to visit Jammu and Kashmir today; EU envoys in next batch

New Delhi/Srinagar: India is all set to take around 15 foreign envoys to Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to see the efforts being made by the government to bring the situation to normalcy. Confirming the development, a source said, "A group of around 15 envoys based in Delhi are being taken to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on January 9-10 to see first-hand the efforts being made by the Government to bring the situation to normal."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been receiving requests from envoy for a visit to Kashmir and the government source said, "Our consistent position has been that we may consider the request only after analyzing the security situation and checking the situation on the ground with the J&K administration."

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While envoys of Latin America, ASEAN and Africa will be going on Thursday, envoys of the European Union (EU) are expected to go on a later date. Speaking on why they could not attend foreign envoy's Kashmir visit, an EU envoy said, "It was communicated with very short notice and the majority of us need to get the agreement of our authorities," adding, "in any case, we are still discussing with MEA".

Government sources said that EU envoys have welcomed the initiative by the government and select EU envoys were invited since the aim was to keep the group broad-based. Asked, if any envoys had asked to meet anyone detained, the government source said, "no specific request was made and the group was free to interact with people subject to security considerations". Australia is not able to be a part of the visit since they are preparing for the Aussie Foreign Minister's India visit. The same stands true for another Asian country, whose delegation is in the town.

The visit by foreign envoys comes even amid criticisms over India keeping the region cut off. Kashmir woke up to a new year of freedom on January 1 as SMS services were restored across the valley from midnight on December 31, 2019. The news is being seen as a welcome measure in restoring freedom for the Kashmiris as normalcy returns gradually in the valley. Earlier on October 14, 2019, postpaid mobile services were also restored. 

In October 2019, India took the EU Parliamentarians to Kashmir. It was the first such visit by an international delegation post-abrogation of Article 370. The visit by the members of the European Parliament had come at a time when the Centre was making efforts to restore normalcy in the region.

with inputs from Ieshan Wani