US diplomat to discuss security of Indian consulates in US during Delhi visit

Expressing concern over attacks on Indian consulates in the US, senior American diplomat Gentry Smith on Tuesday said that he would discuss security-related issues with his Indian counterparts during his visit to New Delhi.
Smith, the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, paid his tribute to the five security personnel killed in a terror attack on the American Center in Kolkata 22 years ago.
“I think a lot of those (security-related) conversations will take place when I am in Delhi. One of my responsibilities in the position that I have is to ensure that all diplomats who serve the US receive serious attention,” Smith told reporters at the American Center.
“If there are security issues, we are engaged about them. We are engaged at the local level, and we are engaged at my level as well. I have personnel in multiple locations throughout the US where there are embassies and consulates. And principal to those locations is the safety and security of all the diplomats who serve in those locations,” he added.
A group of Khalistan supporters attacked the Indian consulate in San Francisco in March and July this year.
“My job is to ensure that our personnel can serve abroad in a safe manner. We cannot do that without the collaboration of those who have the same responsibilities of security in the countries that we serve. From a reciprocal standpoint, we owe that to the diplomats who are serving in the US as well,” Smith said.
“We are in contact with embassies, consulates and other foreign missions within the US to ensure that when we take into consideration all of the responsibilities that we have, we never lose sight of the fact that security is one of those responsibilities as well,” Smith added.
The US diplomat who visited Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai before coming to Kolkata participated in a wreath-laying ceremony held at the American Center in memory of the security personnel killed in the 2002 attack.
Four police constables and a private security guard were killed, while 20 others injured when terrorists attacked the American Center in Kolkata on 22 January 2002.
The programme was also attended by Consul General Kathy Giles-Diaz, besides senior officers of Kolkata Police.
“It’s unfortunate that this attack happened in Kolkata and that we have that tragic distinction of being the only place in India that doesn’t have an attack on an American diplomatic facility. But I have been very grateful and continue to be grateful for the cooperation with the police and with our local guard force,” the Consul General said.