Senator John McCain, who was Republican candidate in the 2008 US presidential race, arrived in Kashmir on a two-day visit on Tuesday.

Officials said McCain reached Srinagar in a special Air Force plane from Leh.

He was received at the airport by Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani and other senior state officials. From there, he was taken to the state guest house amid tight security.

In the afternoon, McCain met Governor N N Vohra at Raj Bhavan, and later in the evening he held a meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for half-an-hour.

The Governor hosted McCain and other members of the US delegation, including Foreign Policy Advisors Christian Brose and Vance Serchuk among others. Lt Gen S A Hasnain, Commander, 15 Corps, was also present.

Omar Abdullah said, "McCain is on an official visit. He went to Ladakh first where he discussed the situation across China border. He is not here for a vacation."

Omar said McCain wanted to know about infiltration and Pakistan's support for militancy and the internal and external dimensions of the dialogue process aimed at resolving Kashmir. ''He also wanted to know about the economy of J&K. We had a very good meeting," he said.

Sources said he will be staying in the Valley for two days before leaving for New Delhi. He is the seniormost US senator to have visited the Valley in two decades.

During his stay here, McCain is likely to visit the famous tourist resort, Gulmarg. Apart from the CM and the Governor, sources said McCain will not be meeting any other leader in the Valley.

The senator's visit to the Valley gains significance in view of the fact that last week he was in Pakistan, where he held meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other officials.

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