City
Epaper

Envoys' visit to Kashmir 'important step', says US

By IANS | Updated: January 12, 2020 10:00 IST

The US has called the visit of its Ambassador Ken Juster and diplomats from 15 other countries to Kashmir an "important step".

Open in App

Alice Wells, the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, tweeted on Saturday that she was "closely following" the visit of the envoys to Kashmir, describing it an "important step".

Wells, who will be visiting India this week, added: "We remain concerned by detention of political leaders and residents and Internet restrictions. We look forward to a return to normalcy."

The group of diplomats made a two-day visit to the Union Territory on Thursday and Friday to see the conditions there after Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status was removed last August.

While some US politic and media have criticised the action by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, the US has officially appeared to support the abrogation of the Constitution's Article 370 on the special status.

Last October, Wells told the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific that the State Department supported the objectives behind it, while not directly mentioning the abrogation.

"The Indian government has argued that its decision on Article 370 was driven by a desire to increase economic development, reduce corruption, and uniformly apply all national laws in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in regard to women and minorities.

"While we support these objectives, the Department remains concerned about the situation in the Kashmir Valley, where daily life for the nearly eight million residents has been severely impacted since August 5," she had said.

Washington has banked on India's democratic institutions - the judiciary and public debates - being able to steer the country.

Bearing this out, the Supreme Court last week ordered the government to review its decision to shutdown the internet in Kashmir, which it declared was a fundamental right, thus taking a step to address Wells's concern.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Kashmir ValleyAlice WellsindiaState Department
Open in App

Related Stories

Maharashtra"This is Betrayal": Former MP Calls Out Prada for Allegedly Copying Kolhapuri Chappal Design

InternationalWhen Will Russia Deliver More S-400 Missiles to India? Major Update Revealed - Here’s Why It Was Delayed

NationalIndia Extends Airspace Ban on Pakistan-Based Aircraft Till July 24

NationalOperation Sindhu: “We Saw Drones, Missiles,” Say Evacuated Students Recounting Life in Iran’s Warzone

NationalCOVID-19 Update: Mumbai Cases Drop Sharply; India’s Active Tally Drops By 428

International Realted Stories

InternationalUS prez Trump celebrates the ‘ Big Beautiful Bill’

InternationalThird earthquake jolts Pakistan in one day

InternationalTaiwan warns against China's provocations, promotes UNCLOS compliance in South China Sea

InternationalSouth Korea: Ex-budget chief tapped as finance minister

InternationalIran reopens central, western airspace to international transit flights