New Delhi: The three-day 'familiarisation tour' of the United States (US) Ambassador Robert D Blackwill to Jammu and Kashmir has left separatists including Hurriyat Conference leaders 'red-faced' as he not only did not meet anyone of them during his trip but also condemned the terrorist violence in J&K.

Deviating from the past approach, Blackwill is possibly the only US diplomat who has not met Hurriyat and other separatist leaders on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Blackwill instead chose to get a briefing on the current status of militancy from the Army corps and by visiting several forward posts in Northern Kashmir which had come under incessant shelling from across the border in the recent times.

Blackwill also went on to say that the international campaign against terrorism was incomplete unless the issue was addressed in Jammu and Kashmir, a statement which again ran counter to the Hurriyat's stand that violence in the state was not terrorism but result of fight for the so-called freedom.

None of the Hurriyat leaders was willing to comment on the issue.

Much to the surprise of Hurriyat and other separatists, the US Ambassador also evinced interest in measures to help end terrorism and aid economic development in the state.

PTI