US Senator John McCain held discussions on various important issues with Indian Held Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and senior Indian army officials on Tuesday, Indian and foreign media reported on Tuesday.
“During their wide-ranging discussions lasting for about two hours, Senator McCain and (Jammu Kashmir) Governor Vohra exchanged views on various important issues of mutual interest,” a government statement said.
It said top army official, including Northern Army Commander Lt General KT Parnaik and Corps Commander XV Corps Lt General SA Hasnain were also present during the discussions. Full details of the discussions were not made available to the media. After his arrival, the lawmaker also visited banks of Dal Lake.
The Hindustan Times newspaper reported that Senator McCain arrived in Srinagar in a special US plan just two days after visiting Pakistan and meeting top political leadership, including President Asif Ali Zardari. The visiting lawmaker avoided meeting any Hurriyat Conference leader, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the paper reported.
The senior Republican, who lost to Barack Obama in the 2008 White House race, was accompanied by two foreign policy advisers and diplomats from the US Embassy in New Delhi. Later, the senator met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The meetings took place in Srinagar, summer capital of the state.
US envoys and top ranking diplomats have regularly visited the Indian held state since the start of armed struggle for the national independence in 1989. At present, McCain is member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and ardent opponent of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Former Hurriyat chairman Ali Shah Geelani downplayed Senator McCain’s decision not meet political leadership of the state. “India is trying to use its influence over the US. The senator visiting Kashmir and not meeting freedom fighters is not bothering. Our struggle is just and for the basic right to self-determination, which has been snatched and suppressed at the gun point by India,” Geelani said.
Geelani said it’s moral responsibility upon the US to support genuine people’s movement and the majority sentiment of the people of Kashmir if it claims to be a democracy. “Whether the US support us or not, we will continue our struggle for justice and for right to self determination,” he said. McCain is scheduled to visit a temple in Srinagar on Wednesday and will leave thereafter.
McCain in Kashmir, meets Vohra, Omar
