EU ambassadors not part of foreign delegation visiting Kashmir due to number constraints: MEA

"It is not true that the EU ambassadors do not want a guided tour. We had restrictions in number. In fact EU had welcomed the visit to Jammu and Kashmir but they wanted to go in a group which was quite big," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"We are looking to organise a EU visit to Kashmir at a later date." he added.

15 envoys from different countries including the United States reached Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday beginning a two-day visit to the valley at the government's invitation.

Detailing about the basis on which the delegation is created, Kumar said, "We wanted to include ambassadors of foreign nations."

Hinting at more such visits to the valley in future, the MEA spokesperson said, "With the progressive normalisation in the situation, I think we can have such free interactions (in future) across sections and society in Jammu and Kashmir. This is not the end of the visit."

However, diplomats from Australia and several Gulf Nations have dropped their plans to visit the newly-formed Union Territory owing to "scheduling" reasons.

This is the second visit by any foreign delegates to Jammu and Kashmir after it has lost its special status in August, 2019, following the scrapping of Article 370 by the Indian government.

In October, 2019, the government had allowed 23 lawmakers from the EU to visit Jammu and Kashmir though the entire trip was a private one.

The EU lawmakers' trip had infuriated the Opposition which was till then not allowed to enter Jammu and Kashmir.