UNITED NATIONS, Indian Ambassador to the U.N., T.S. Tirumurti, Monday repeated claims that Jammu and Kashmir was an \u201cintegral and inalienable\u201d part of India, but said that his government was prepared to discuss with Pakistan any issues and to resolve them bilaterally and peacefully as provided under the 1972 Simla agreement.
\nIn utter disregard to the Security Council resolutions that call for no alteration in the status of Jammu and Kashmir until the resolution of the decades-old dispute, the Indian ambassador repeated New Delhi\u2019s old mantra; \u201cI think it\u2019s important to recognize that the issues relating to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are internal affairs of India.\u201d
\nHe was speaking at a press conference in his capacity as the president of UN Security Council president for the month of August.
\nAmbassador Tirumurti was responding to questions about India\u2019s commitments under the Security Council resolutions that provide for a plebiscite to determine the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as also about New Delhi\u2019s action to illegally annex the disputed territory on August 5, 2019.
\nThe Indian envoy glossed over UNSC resolutions, but tried to justify what he called were Constitutional changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir that were brought through established parliamentary procedures. \u201cSo any change or modification to article 370, like any other provision of the Constitution, is the sole prerogative of the Parliament of the Republic of India.\u201d
\nHis argument was challenged by a Pakistani journalist who said that the Security Council resolutions also call for no alteration in the status of Jammu and Kashmir until the resolution of the decades-old dispute, pointing out that even Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had said so in his August 8, 2019, statement on the Indian action to end the autonomous status of Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir.
\n\u201cAs I told you, Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India,\u201d the Indian envoy said in reply to APP correspondent\u2019s question, asserting what needs to be changed is the \u201cvacation of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.\u201d
\nIndian oft-repeated claim comes two days after a group of 16 European parliamentarians letter to the European Commission on the \u201chumanitarian situation\u201d in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), calling it \u201cyet another demonstration of the global censure\u201d of India\u2019s human rights violations in the valley.<\/p>\n
Sixteen European lawmakers had addressed a letter on Friday to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Josep Borrell, urging the European Union to raise its voice on human rights violations in IoK and take action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that the EU should use all its leverage and tools to cooperate with our Indian and Pakistani partners to honour the pledge made to the Kashmiris by the international community and create an environment conducive to the implementation of the United Nations resolutions,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n
The Indian Ambassador urged Pakistan to \u201cfollow through\u201d on its commitments under the 1972 Simla agreement. on this, and implement the provisions of this agreement.
\nAmbassador Tirumurti said negotiations should be conducted in an atmosphere \u201cfree of terror hostility and violence, and therefore right now, the onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible and verifiable action, not to allow any territory under their control to be used for cross-border terrorism against India and Pakistan must prove its consistency between its words and its actions.\u201d
\nPrime Minister Imran Khan had categorically stated that Pakistan would not talk to India till it reverses its decision to abrogate Article 370 of its constitution, giving \u201cspecial status\u201d to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, Indian Ambassador to the U.N., T.S. Tirumurti, Monday repeated claims that Jammu and Kashmir was an \u201cintegral and inalienable\u201d part of India, but said that his government was prepared to discuss with Pakistan any issues and to resolve them bilaterally and peacefully as […]<\/p>\n
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