No complaint to US envoy on JK issues, that’s Delhi’s job: CM Omar after meeting American diplomat

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, August 19: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday met US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor here, in the first such high-level engagement between an American envoy and the Valley’s political leadership in over a decade and a half—but quickly moved to clarify that he did not raise the Union Territory’s internal issues with the visiting diplomat.

“Our problems will be solved by the central government, not America. It is not my habit to complain to an ambassador of another country,” Omar told reporters after the nearly hour-long meeting at the SKICC, in remarks that appeared calibrated to ward off any political backlash from opponents who may accuse him of internationalising Kashmir.

The meeting, described by CM Omar as “very good,” focused on broader bilateral relations and potential US cooperation with Jammu and Kashmir, but the Chief Minister was careful to draw a red line on the scope of discussion.

“We had an opportunity to discuss the relations between our two countries, but with specific focus on what the U.S. can do with Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, adding that “legacy issues” would be addressed over time, but the conversation would be pursued both with Washington and the Government of India in New Delhi.

CM Omar indicated that the US travel advisory for the Valley—which has for years warned American citizens against non-essential travel to the region citing security concerns—could be up for review.

“The United States puts out travel warnings, and every so often we re-evaluate those travel warnings. I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something we’re going to look at,” he said.

He credited both the Centre and his administration for the improved security environment. “The Government here, we believe, have made some incredible steps to keeping this area safer and making it more safe, and so we will be looking at if the travel warning that is recommended by the United States is something that should be downgraded,” Omar said.

The Chief Minister also made a pitch for American tourists, describing the Valley as a “beautiful area” with immense opportunities. “I think a lot of Americans would enjoy coming here and seeing the beauty and opportunities that exist here,” he said.

CM Omar expressed hope that the engagement between the US and Jammu and Kashmir will “both widen and deepen in the years ahead”—a remark that signals a potential shift in diplomatic outreach to the region.

The meeting also comes at a time when tourist footfall in Kashmir has seen a significant uptick, and the annual Amarnath Yatra concluded this month without any major security incident, lending weight to the administration’s claims of improved law and order.

Notably, Ambassador Gor’s visit to Kashmir, his first since taking charge, assumes significance against the backdrop of the Centre’s push to project normalcy in the Valley post-2019. He is scheduled to meet Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other officials during his two-day visit to the region and Ladakh.