New Delhi: 'Merely an internal matter', said UAE as it took note of the Indian government's decision on amending certain sections of Article 370 in the Indian Constitution related to Kashmir, reported Gulf News.

The report quoted the UAE ambassador to India Ahmad Al Banna as saying: “We also took note of the introduction of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the Indian Parliament aimed at replacing Article 370 with the creation of Ladakh region and the state of Jammu and Kashmir as India’s two new Union Territories.”

He maintained that from his understanding such a reorganisation of states was not a unique incident in the history of independent India and was aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, Gulf News reported. He was also quoted as viewing this decision as an internal matter stipulated by the Indian Constitution. “We expect that the changes would improve social justice and security and confidence of the people in the local governance and will encourage further stability and peace,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the US State Department had said on Monday that it was closely following events in Kashmir. "We are concerned about reports of detentions and urge respect for individual rights and discussion with those in affected communities," the department's spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement. "We call on all parties to maintain peace and stability along the Line of Control."