ISLAMABAD – In a major setback for India, UN chief’s spokesperson StephaneDujarric, on Wednesday has asked India and Pakistan to engage in dialoguesover Occupied Kashmir which is against the Indian stand that OccupiedKashmir is an internal issue.
He said that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is concerned over anypotential escalation between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and he wantsboth the countries to resolve the issue through mutual dialogue.
Dujarric’s statement is a big win for Pakistan because Indian governmenthas repeatedly maintained that Kashmir is India’s internal matter and thereis no need for a third-party mediation.
Addressing a press conference, UN chief’s spokesperson clearly mentionedthat UN’s position on mediation has always remained the same and though theUN Secretary‑General is in touch with both sides, he believes that Kashmiris an issue between India and Pakistan.
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It is to be noted that UN chief Guterres met Prime Minister Narendra Modion the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, in August. He hasalso spoken to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and onMonday Guterres met with the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UNMaleeha Lodhi on her request over the Kashmir issue. According to Dujarric,the message of UN chief to all these leaders has been the same, that hewants India and Pakistan to resolve the issue through dialogue.
