New Delhi: India on Friday firmly rejected Pakistan’s diplomatic protest over US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s remarks describing Jammu and Kashmir as an important part of India, with the Ministry of External Affairs saying Islamabad’s reaction reflected its frustration.
Addressing the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s long standing position that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and indivisible parts of the country.
“They were, they are, and they will remain so,” Jaiswal said, dismissing Pakistan’s decision to summon the US Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad. Asked about the diplomatic protest, he said there was no reason to comment further on Pakistan’s frustration.
The controversy arose during Sergio Gor’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where he met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and described the Union Territory as an “important part of India.”
Calling it his first visit to the region, Gor praised its natural beauty and said discussions with the Jammu and Kashmir government would continue through follow up engagements with officials in Washington and New Delhi.
The US ambassador also indicated that Washington could review its current Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the region in the future. He said the area has significant tourism potential and expressed hope that more American travellers would eventually be able to experience its beauty and opportunities.
Pakistan strongly objected to the remarks, claiming they were inconsistent with the United States’ traditional position on Jammu and Kashmir, and lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the US mission in Islamabad.
India, however, maintained that its position on the status of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh remains unequivocal and non negotiable.
