NEW DELHI: United States Ambassador Frank G. Wisner has informally ‘conveyed to the Government of India his impression that Kashmiris want an end to militancy, and that New Delhi should go ahead with its decision to hold elections in the State.

According to top Government officials Wisner’s observations were “informally” communicated to the Government following his four day visit to Jammu and Kashmir during the last week of June. ‘The Ambassador also reportedly sent a formal report on his trip to the US State Department in Washington, DC, in which his conclusions followed the same lines. Wisner’s observations were taken note of during a high level meeting of members of the official delegation which visited J&K this weekend. The team, which was led by, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Bhuvanesh Chaturvedi, included the Home, Defense and Foreign Dignitaries. Many of the findings of the Central officials were similar to that of Wisner and his team: many people, cutting across political affiliations and different sections of society, told Chaturvedi that they wanted an end to militancy, and that the Center should do whatever it could to solve Kashmir’s political problem.

Consequently, the Government is upbeat about holding elections in J&K in the next few months; the trips by Wisner and Chaturvedi have come as 1a boost to New Delhi’s plans for initiating a political process to restore normalcy in Kashmir.

Officials said that the informal communication between Wisner and the Government on Kashmiris not anew thing, A great majority of the Delhibased envoys who have been making use of the Government’s policy of “transparency” and visiting J&K, have informally exchanged notes on their iripsand findings with the Ministry of External Affairs. Wisner was accompanies by a six member team, which included Defence Attache Russel V. Olson Jr. First Secretary (Political) Tim Buch, and First Secretary Patricia Brandmein, during his trip to J&K.

During his visit, Wisner publicly stated that he favored the initiation of a political process and the holding of elections in the State. He also said that there was need for peaceful resolution to the issue, adding that he saw no role for the US as a mediator in the “dispute.”

Most disappointed by his visit was the All Party Hurriyat Conference, which had, in anticipation, attached great importance to the visit, saying it represented ‘a tactical shift in the US policy towards Kashmir.”

However, when the Hurriyat leaders ‘met Wisner, they were told that they should’ participate in elections. The US Ambassador added, according to a top Government official, that while he was meeting them now, he might not be able to do so later if they did not Participate in elections, for they would have no claim to representing any.

Substantial section of Kashmiris. Wisner had also had several meetings with former separatist Shabir Shah, J&K Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, ranking army and paramilitary officers, and State Administration officials, during his visit.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 14, 1995