Srinagar: The second batch of 25 foreign envoys from different countries including Germany, Canada, France and Afghanistan reached Jammu and Kashmir to witness the ground situation in the region nearly six months after the centre scrapped the erstwhile state’s special status and split it into two Union Territories.
A cavalcade of the second batch of 25 Foreign Envoys from European Union including Germany, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary in Srinagar for a day on Wednesday, February 12, 2020. KL Image by Bilal Bahadur
This is the second batch of foreign diplomats to visit Kashmir in one month.
The delegation includes diplomats from Canada, Austria, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Slovak Republic, Netherlands, Namibia, Kyrgyz Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, Tajikistan, France, Mexico, Denmark, Italy, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Poland, and Rwanda.
Reports said that the delegation will meet fruit growers in north Kashmir before reaching Srinagar where they are scheduled to meet media representatives, civil society groups and politicians.
The Indian Army will brief the visiting diplomats on the security situation in Kashmir and are expected to give a detailed presentation on Pakistan’s involvement in sponsoring terrorism in the newly-formed Union Territory, said the reports.
According to reports, the envoys will stay for the night in Srinagar before moving to Jammu next day where they are expected to meet Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu and civil society groups.
The fresh batch of diplomats also includes representatives of the European Union. Their participation assumes significance as the EU Parliament recently initiated to bring a joint draft resolution on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the vote on which was later deferred, reported ANI.
Last month, envoys of 15 countries including United States 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 had visited Jammu and Kashmir on January 9 and 10 to see first-hand efforts being made by the government in the region.
(Picture is representational)
