Sergio Gor In Srinagar: US Ambassador Calls J&K An “Important Part Of India”

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Wednesday described Jammu and Kashmir as an "important part of India" during his first visit to the Union Territory. Gor made the remarks after meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar, in a statement that aligned with India's position on the status of the region. The visit comes amid continued strategic engagement between India and the United States.

Gor, who also serves as US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, described his first visit to Kashmir as a positive experience. He said the meeting with Abdullah was warm and expressed an interest in strengthening relations. The ambassador's visit marks his first trip to Kashmir since Operation Sindoor last year and is being viewed as a significant diplomatic engagement amid evolving regional security and strategic developments.

Speaking after the meeting, Abdullah said the two sides discussed broader India-US relations, with particular attention to Jammu and Kashmir. He said they discussed areas in which the United States could contribute to the region's engagement with the two countries. Abdullah acknowledged that certain "legacy issues" would require time to address and expressed optimism that discussions involving Washington, New Delhi and Srinagar could continue in the future.

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Gor also commented on the security situation in the Valley and indicated that Washington could review its travel advisory for Americans visiting Jammu and Kashmir. He stopped short of making any immediate announcement but noted what he described as improvements in security. Gor credited the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration with taking steps to make the region safer and said US authorities would consider whether the existing travel warning should be downgraded.

The ambassador also praised the natural beauty of Kashmir and suggested that more Americans could visit the region if travel advisories were eased. His remarks came against the backdrop of continued efforts to strengthen people-to-people and economic ties between India and the United States. The visit provided an opportunity for the two sides to discuss the region while maintaining the broader framework of India-US relations.

Hours before meeting Gor, Abdullah had stressed that Jammu and Kashmir's internal issues should be resolved within India's constitutional and political framework. He said he would not seek Washington's intervention in matters involving the Union Territory, arguing that solutions to its problems must come from the central government. The Chief Minister's position underscored the distinction between seeking international engagement and relying on foreign governments to resolve domestic issues.

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