Australian High Commissioner meets Mufti

Australian High Commissioner to India Patrick Suckling today called on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and promised to review the negative travel advisory on the state to facilitate visits of businessmen and tourists from his country.

“Suckling, along with a high-level delegation, met the Chief Minister this evening. During the meeting, the Chief Minister highlighted the need to withdraw the travel advisory on the state, which he said, is as safe to travel as any other tourist destination in the world,” an official spokesman said here.

He said the Australian High Commissioner promised to review the travel advisory which will facilitate the visit of Australian businessmen and tourists to the state.

The High Commissioner also offered to collaborate with the state in fields like dairy, sheep rearing and vocational education, in which Australia has set international benchmarks.

The possibilities of partnership in key areas like horticulture, animal husbandry, skill development, higher education and tourism were also discussed, the spokesman said.

Earlier, Suckling visited University of Kashmir and discussed the possibilities of faculty and student exchange programmes with Australian universities.

He also held detailed consultations with the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to boost business-to-business associations, particularly in the fabled handicraft sector, the spokesman said.