Matrix Report
Russia has surprised India, its close ally, by invoking UNSC resolutions while referring to the Kashmir dispute and its bilateral resolution by India and Pakistan.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, first Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN, in his official statement, said that Russia was of the view that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved in “accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN resolutions”. He also said that his country wanted to consistently promote the normalisation of Indo-Pak ties.
“Russia continues to consistently promote normalisation of India-Pakistan ties. We hope that existing divergences around Kashmir will be settled bilaterally by political and diplomatic means only on the basis of Simla Agreement of 1972 and Lahore declaration of 1999, in accordance with UN Charter, relevant UN resolutions and bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan. We are friends and good partners with both India and Pakistan and both peoples. We have no hidden agendas. So we will open-heartedly continue to engage with Islamabad and New Delhi in order to help both of them come to terms and have good neighbourly relations Kashmir”, Polyanskiy tweeted.
On the other hand, both China and UK also called for an open statement on the meeting, however, the UNSC failed to reach consensus on the matter. China circulated a draft statement, critical of India, and wanted to issue it publicly; a demand that was also supported by India’s strategic partner, the UK.
