Former Norway PM Bondevik's visit private, no scope for any third party role or mediation, clarifies India

India has clarified that the visit of former prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik of Norway was a private one and "there is no scope for any third party role or mediation. Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah had questioned the motive of his visit through a tweet, "What are the Norwegians up to in Kashmir?". Seekingto know about the reason of former PM's visit, he had further said in his tweet, "Do we have to rely on rumours & conjecture?"

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "Kjell Magne Bondevik was on a private visit to India at invitation of the Art of Living International Centre (Ved Vigyan Maha Vidya Peeth), Bengaluru, and government of India was not involved in organizing the visit and meetings."

Dismissing any reports of mediation, Swaraj said there is no scope for third party role and that "there is no change in government’s consistent and principled position that under the Simla Agreement (1972) and as reiterated in the Lahore Declaration (1999), both India and Pakistan are committed to address all outstanding issues bilaterally."

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Bondevik visited Jammu & Kashmir on November 23 this year and met representatives of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu & Kashmir Youth Development Forum and All Party Hurriyat Conference.