Srinagar: US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Wednesday described Kashmir as an “important part of India” and indicated that Washington may review its travel advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, citing steps taken by the Centre and the J&K government to improve the security situation.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence in Gupkar, Gor said the United States periodically reassesses its travel warnings and that the advisory for Jammu and Kashmir would also be examined.
“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 are going to look at,” Gor said.
He said the Centre and the J&K government had taken “incredible steps” towards making the region safer and suggested that Washington would examine whether the existing travel warning should be downgraded.
“So, we will be looking at if the travel warning that is imposed and recommended by the United States is something that should be downgraded,” he said, adding that Kashmir’s beauty and opportunities could attract more American visitors.
Calling Kashmir “incredibly beautiful”, Gor said he was “thrilled” to visit the Valley during his first trip to Jammu and Kashmir as US Ambassador to India.
30-minute meeting with Omar
Gor met Omar Abdullah soon after arriving in Srinagar on Wednesday. The meeting, which lasted around 30 minutes, focused on strengthening engagement between Jammu and Kashmir and the United States.
Gor described the interaction as “very good” and “very cordial”, saying follow-up discussions would be taken forward in Washington and New Delhi.
Omar Abdullah also termed the meeting positive and said the discussions focused on expanding the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the United States.
“There are obviously certain legacy issues that over time we will be working to resolve. But we look forward to taking this conversation further,” the Chief Minister said.
Abdullah said he was hopeful that engagement between the United States and Jammu and Kashmir would “both widen and deepen in the years ahead.”
Economic cooperation also discussed
The discussions also covered economic cooperation. In a post on X, Gor said the two sides discussed ways to deepen economic collaboration and create opportunities that would mutually benefit both countries.
The engagement could open avenues for greater cooperation in areas such as investment, tourism, business and other sectors of mutual interest.
Shikara ride on Dal Lake
After meeting the Chief Minister, Gor visited Dal Lake and took a Shikara ride near Nehru Park.
Officials said the US envoy spent around an hour on the lake, accompanied by his security personnel and US Embassy officials.
The visit gave Gor a glimpse of one of Kashmir’s most iconic tourism destinations, shortly after he spoke about the region’s beauty and the possibility of more Americans visiting if the travel advisory is eased.
Gor is scheduled to travel to Ladakh on Thursday as part of his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
While the ambassador indicated that the US travel advisory could be reassessed, he made it clear that no formal decision to downgrade the warning has been announced yet.
