US Embassy official assures revisiting negative travel advisory to JK

US to reconsider the travel advisory in its six-monthly meeting

An official of the United States Embassy in New Delhi today assured to revisit the negative travel advisory issued by Washington to its citizens for visiting Jammu and Kashmir.

"We promise to revisit the travel advisory in our six-monthly meeting and I assure you that we will positively look into it," Sarah Duffy, senior Consul officer and head of American Citizen Services at the US Embassy, was quoted as saying.

Duffy was interacting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Political Secretary Tanvir Sadiq at his residence here today.

Sadiq said the assurance was given by the US official after he strongly advocated relaxing of the negative travel advisory against the state.

"Keeping in view the peace, progress and security situation in the Valley, the US should reconsider its negative travel advisory against the state and especially (for) places like Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg and other tourist destinations," he said.

Sadiq advocated dialogue with Pakistan as well as separatists to resolve political issues facing the state saying that Kashmir issue has to be addressed politically and only politically.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a political problem and can be resolved only through a process of dialogue. We have to start the dialogue process both internally as well as bilaterally (with Pakistan) for addressing this issue," he added.