*UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres iscontinuing to follow “very closely” the deteriorating situation in Indianoccupied Kashmir, his spokesman said Thursday, adding that the world body’sgood offices are available provided all parties agree to this coursetowards peaceful settlement of disputes.*

“As a matter of principle, in any issue where there are differences to bebridged between member states, the good offices of the United Nations areavailable, but they only work if both parties require, ask for it and areopen to it,” Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in response to aquestion about the continuing Indian violence against Kashmiris at theregular noon briefing.

In making that statement, he made it clear that he was just talking about aquestion of principle of the United Nations and how its good offices work.

“But obviously this (Kashmir) is a situation that we continue to follow andfollow very closely,” the spokesman said.

India is opposed to any UN mediation in resolving the Kashmir problem whilePakistan has continuously sought the secretary-general’s good offices toresolve the decades-old dispute.

“The Secretary-General has expressed and will continue to express hisconcern at the situation (in Kashmir), the spokesman said. “I think wespoke about it earlier in the week, reminding all parties of the need toprotect civilians.”