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US DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN TAKEN QUESTIONS OF OCTOBER 29, 1993 INDIA: US EMBASSY VISIT TO ABDUL GHANI LONE Q: What was the basis of the request from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to visit Abdul Ghani Lone after this arrest? What is his state of health? A: MR. LONE IS A PROMINENT KASHMIRI POLITICIAN. FOLLOWING THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN SRINAGAR LAST FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF INQUIRIES AND EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE U.S. CONGRESS ABOUT MR. LONEÕS HEALTH. WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO VISIT MR. LONE IN HIS HOSPITAL ROOM BECAUSE REPORTS ON THE STATE OF HIS HEALTH VARIED CONSIDERABLY. HIS CONDITION WAS FAIR WHEN AN EMBASSY OFFICER VISITED HIM OCTOBER 21. Q: In meetings a few months ago with U.S. officials, he expressed concern about his safety. Does the U.S. Government do anything to insure the safety of individual Kashmiris? A: WE LOOK TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT EVERYONE IN KASHMIR. FOR OUR PART, WE HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN KASHMIR BY ALL PARTIES, AND ALSO ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS, AS OUR VISIT TO MR. LONE DEMONSTRATES. (###)