Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said he would discuss the situation in the Union Territory with US Ambassador Sergio Gor during their scheduled meeting but made it clear that he would neither complain about the region’s issues nor seek solutions from Washington.
Abdullah’s remarks came ahead of Gor’s scheduled meeting with him in Srinagar during the US envoy’s maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
“It has never been my habit to lodge complaints about my country to an ambassador of another country. The resolution to our issues will not come from Washington; the resolution to our problems lies with our central government,” Abdullah told reporters.
He added that he would discuss Jammu and Kashmir and the region’s current situation with Gor, but would not approach the US representative with grievances.
Speaking about his scheduled interaction with Gor, Abdullah said the meeting would be significant as it had been a long time since he had met an American ambassador.
“It is after a very long time that a US ambassador is visiting Jammu and Kashmir. For me personally, it has been a long time since I met any American ambassador. Let him come; we will sit and talk,” the Chief Minister said.
Abdullah also indicated that he intended to listen to the US envoy during the interaction.
“I would prefer to listen to him more, but he is also coming to listen. Let’s see what kind of conversation takes place when he comes to meet this afternoon,” he said.
