Envoys from several countries were taken to Kashmir last month (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Russian ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev won’t be visiting J&K despite having received an invite from the Indian government to visit the Union Territory, diplomatic sources here said. According to the Indian government, another lot of foreign envoys – 25 in all - based in Delhi will be taken to Kashmir this week.

The first visit of foreign envoys to Kashmir had been organised by Indian authorities in the second week of January.

Russia has stood firmly behind India on the government’s decision to revoke the special status of J&K and Kudashev was quoted as having said last month that Moscow never had any doubt about India’s approach to the Valley. He had said that Russia did not feel the need to find out what was happening in Kashmir as it was India’s internal matter and belonged to "the Constitutional space of India."

“It is not an issue in our bilateral ties. Those who believe this is an issue, those who are concerned about the situation in Kashmir, those who have doubt about Indian policy in Kashmir can travel to Kashmir. They could see for themselves. We never had any doubt,” he had said. Unlike last time though, India on this occasion extended an invite to Kudashev, which he declined.

The envoys are likely to land in Srinagar on Wednesday and, sources said, will be travelling to Jammu and Budgam as well. The envoys are expected to interact with locals and also attend a briefing by senior army officers.

Official sources here said that since the last visit of envoys to J&K on 9-10 January 2020, MEA had received several requests from foreign ambassadors here for a visit to the newly created UT. "A group of Envoys from different geographical regions, will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir this week," said a source requesting anonymity.

Unlike last time, several envoys from European countries are likely to travel. Officials here didn’t rule out participation of French, EU and German envoys. While the last delegation comprised, among others, the US ambassador to India, European envoys had given it a miss. Some had reportedly said that they didn’t want a guided tour but Indian authorities had claimed it was more because of scheduling issues. Outgoing UK high commissioner Dominic Asquith had recently said British diplomats were very much interested in visiting Kashmir. The delegation will likely also have envoys from some Gulf countries.

"The visit will be same as the first one in terms of form and substance. There’s no need to read too much into it as it’s happening only because of requests received from envoys," said an official here.

