Toronto December 21, 2010:
European Commission very closely follows developments in Kashmir and supports the reconciliation process between India and Pakistan, says European Commission External Relations Directorate General.
Mr. Jean-Christian Remond, Asia Head of European Commission External Relations Directorate General, in a letter to Mr. Mushtaq A. Jeelani, Executive Director of Peace and Justice Forum (PJF), states PJF’s letter “drew President [José Manuel Durão] Barroso’s attention to the situation in Kashmir. President Barroso is aware of this [Kashmir] issue and has asked me to reply on his behalf.”
Mr. Remond writes: “I am sure you [Mr. Jeelani] know that the European Commission and the Delegation of the European Union in New Delhi follow developments in Kashmir very closely.” He further underlines: “The annual visits to Jammu and Kashmir by Delhi-based EU Ambassadors and embassy staff (the ‘Troika’ visits) indeed bear witness to the commitment. During the last such visit in November 2009, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with representatives of political parties, separatist movements, the security forces, civil society, and the universities, in order to assess for itself the situation pertaining there [in Kashmir].”
“It has been a longstanding position of the EU to support the reconciliation process between India and Pakistan and to call for the Kashmiri people themselves to be as involved as possible in this process,” underscores Mr. Remond.
“I took note of your comment regarding a possible mediation by a third party but, in our view, such a course of action would require conditions which are not presently met,” continues Mr. Remond.
“We [European Commission] remain hopeful that dialogue between all parties concerned [the people of Kashmir, India and Pakistan] may begin again, thus assuring the long-term socio-economic and political stability of the region,” concludes Mr. Remond.
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