SRINAGAR: Problems of Jammu and Kashmir are to be solved by the central government and not by Washington, said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday, ahead of his meeting with US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor.
While speaking of Gor's visit to Srinagar, Abdullah said he is meeting an American diplomat after a very long time. "Let him come, we will talk to him. I would prefer to listen to him...Let's see what kind of conversation we will have,” he told reporters.
Sergio Gor, also Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, would be arriving in Kashmir this afternoon on his first visit to the union territory.
The visit assumes significance as it will be his first visit to J&K after taking over as US envoy to India earlier this year.
Besides Abdullah, Gor would meet J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha during his stay, who is expected to brief him about the prevailing security, economic and developmental situation in the region.
In response to a question, Abdullah said, “Whether he (US envoy) listens or not, our problems have nothing to do with him. It is not my habit to complain to an ambassador of another country”.
“Our problems cannot be resolved by Washington. Our problems have to be resolved by the central government. It would be wrong if I complained about my country to an ambassador of another country,” he said.
“I will only talk about Jammu and Kashmir and our situation. I will not complain and neither will I seek any solution from him on those complaints,” the CM said.
After an overnight stay in the Valley, Gor will leave for Ladakh on Thursday morning, where he will meet Lt Governor VK Saxena and other officials.
Meanwhile, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the least Gor can do is review and withdraw the highest-level travel advisory against visiting Kashmir, saying it was affecting the livelihoods of families dependent on tourism.
“For Kashmir, where thousands of families depend on tourism, the travel advisory on Kashmir is more than a warning. It is a wall between Kashmir and the world. Lifting it would send a powerful message of confidence, help bring back international tourists and give much-needed relief to countless families whose livelihoods depend on tourism,” she said in a post on X.