MEA to send out lockdown advisories to foreign missions

After a senior diplomat of the Embassy of Uruguay in New Delhi flouted the lockdown imposed in the national capital, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is likely to once again send out advisories to the foreign missions, reminding them to adhere to the curbs imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Valentina Obispo, Head of Administration at the Embassy of Uruguay, had an altercation with officials of Delhi Police when they spotted her cycling on Paschimi Marg road in Vasant Vihar without wearing a mask.

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The cops told the diplomat that she was violating not only the lockdown norms, but also the directive of the Delhi Government that made it mandatory for all to wear masks while venturing out for unavoidable reasons.

Obispo, however, told the Delhi Police that the embassy had not received any advisory regarding the norms during the lockdown or about wearing masks being made mandatory.

Sources said that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had been regularly issuing advisories for the foreign missions to ensure that their diplomats and other officials strictly adhere to the lockdown guidelines. The MEA had only issued a few curfew passes to the foreign missions to help the diplomats and other officials to continue doing essential works during the lockdown, added the sources.

Sources said that the government would continue to advise the diplomatic community to adhere to the lockdown guidelines in the interest of the well-being of all.