Diplomats from 25 countries reach Srinagar weeks after EU defers vote on anti-CAA resolution; delegation will meet politicians, fruit growers

New Delhi: Diplomats of 25 countries including those from Germany, Canada, France and Afghanistan, on Wednesday reached Kashmir to witness the ground situation in the region nearly six months after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

This is the second batch of foreign diplomats that will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir in the last one month. The delegation will meet fruit growers in North Kashmir before reaching Srinagar where they are scheduled to meet media representatives, civil society groups and politicians of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir: The second batch of foreign envoys arrive in Srinagar. The batch has 25 foreign envoys, including envoys from Germany, Canada, France, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Afghanistan, Austria, Uzbekistan, Poland, as well as envoys of the European Union (EU). pic.twitter.com/pqc8tYShRH

— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2020

The Indian Army will also brief the visiting diplomats on the security situation in Kashmir and are expected to give a detailed presentation on Pakistan's involvement in fomenting and sponsoring terrorism in the newly-formed Union Territory. According to reports, the envoys will have a night halt in Srinagar before moving to Jammu next day where they are expected to meet Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu and civil society groups.

The delegation includes diplomats from Canada, Austria, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Slovak Republic, Netherlands, Namibia, Kyrgyz Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, Tajikistan, France, Mexico, Denmark, Italy, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Poland, and Rwanda.

The fresh batch of diplomats also includes EU representatives, and their participation assumes significance as the EU Parliament recently initiated to bring a joint draft resolution on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the vote on which was later deferred. Also, the India-EU summit is also slated to take place in Brussels next month where External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be participating.

Last month, envoys of 15 countries including US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and diplomats from Vietnam, South Korea, Brazil, Niger, Nigeria, Morocco, Guyana, Argentina, Philippines, Norway, Maldives, Fiji, Togo, Bangladesh and Peru visited Jammu and Kashmir on 9 and 10 January 10 to see first-hand efforts being made by the government in the region.