China yet again managed to hold an informal closed-door consultation on Kashmir in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York earlier on Wednesday, almost five months after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 in August.
The UNSC’s closed-door meeting was called to discuss an issue relating to an African country. China made a request to deliberate on the Kashmir issue under the agenda of “Any Other Business Points.”
No other UNSC member, barring China, commented on the meeting after it ended given that it was an informal consultation.
China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, warned against further escalation between India and Pakistan’s over Kashmir and hoped that the Security Council meeting would encourage both countries to seek a solution through dialogue.
He told reporters after the closed-door meeting that China remains “concerned about the situation on the ground” in Kashmir.
“I’m sure the meeting will help both parties to understand the risk of further escalation and encourage them to approach each other and to have dialogue and to seek means to seek solutions through dialogue,” Zhang said.
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Members of the UNSC speaking on condition of anonymity said that China wanted a review of the UN observer mission in Kashmir. But an overwhelming number in the 15-member council urged for de-escalation of tension and said that the dispute is bilateral and should be resolved by India and Pakistan.
It should be noted that this is China’s second attempt to get the Kashmir issue on the agenda for consultations at the United Nations. However, it was thwarted by other members led by the United States and France.
Reacting to the issue, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, said: “The outcome of the consultation is on expected lines.”
#WATCH New York: @AkbaruddinIndia, India’s Ambassador & Permanent Representative to United Nations speaks on China holding an informal closed-door consultation on #Kashmir in United Nations Security Council (#UNSC). pic.twitter.com/l9BmfBcvPF
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2020
Earlier, he also tweeted: “Today @UN…our flag is flying high. Those that launched a “False Flag” effort got a stinging response from our many friends…,” he posted.
Today @UN…our flag is flying high.
Those that launched a “False Flag” effort got a stinging response from our many friends… 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/X0jJgassn2
— Syed Akbaruddin (@AkbaruddinIndia) January 15, 2020
This was the third time China had raised the issue at the UNSC since the abrogation of J&K on August 5. China had strongly criticised the move to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
(With ANI inputs)