Brussels, (Unib Rashid) – Chairman of the Kashmir Council Europe –KCEU, Ali Raza Syed, has expressed deep concern over a statement by Sergio Gor, the U.S. Ambassador to India, in which he described Jammu and Kashmir as “an important part of India.”

In a statement, Ali Raza Syed said that by making this statement, the US Ambassador had overlooked the real disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that Jammu and Kashmir is not merely an internal administrative matter of a country but a longstanding international dispute that has been mentioned in resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. So, the final settlement of the dispute should be in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and the principles of international law.

He said that a unilateral political statement by any foreign diplomat or government cannot alter the legal and historical status of Jammu and Kashmir. The future of Kashmir cannot be determined through a politician or diplomat’s statements alone; it must be addressed through a fair, peaceful and credible political process that respects the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination.

Ali Raza Syed said that the United States is a major global power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Therefore, the American representatives are expected to take into consideration the UN Charter, international law and relevant Security Council resolutions when addressing sensitive international disputes.

He said that the U.S. Ambassador’s statement, which appears to have been made to appease India, which occupies a large part of Jammu and Kashmir, is by no means conducive to lasting peace in South Asia.

Chairman Kashmir Council–EU Ali Raza Syed called upon the U.S. Ambassador not to overlook the facts concerning the Kashmir dispute, but support the right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination and work towards a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

He said that the path to genuine and lasting peace in South Asia runs through a just resolution of the Kashmir dispute, and this objective cannot be achieved without giving the people of Jammu and Kashmir the right to determine their own political future.

Ali Raza Syed urged the international community, particularly the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, to play an effective role in promoting a peaceful and just resolution of the Kashmir dispute.