India welcomes removal of Jammu and Kashmir from UN list of disputes

NEW DELHI - Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur on Monday said India welcomes the removal of Jammu and Kashmir from the United Nations list of disputes.

“The United Nations (UN) has removed Jammu and Kashmir from the disputed list and this is a good step, and we welcome it. We hope that just like this our bilateral issues would be viewed by UN,” said Kaur, while addressing the media persons after a Parliamentary meeting here.

The United Nations on Sunday removed Jammu and Kashmir from its list of disputed regions, which has come as a major setback to Pakistan.

The omission of Jammu and Kashmir from a list of disputes under the observation of the UN Security Council was noticed by Pakistan, whose envoy has lodged a protest.

“Jammu and Kashmir dispute was not mentioned in the context of unresolved long-running situations. We understand this was an inadvertent omission, as Jammu and Kashmir is one of the oldest disputes on agenda of the Security Council,” said Pakistan’s acting envoy to the UN Amjad Hussain B Sial, while speaking at the UN General Assembly session, which was discussing the functioning and reform of the Security Council.

The UN General Assembly session was organised by the UK that holds the presidency of the Security Council this month.

Pakistan has been asking the UN to intervene to help resolve the issue, but India has always maintained that it has to be resolved bilaterally between the two nations.

Earlier in October, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had said that the UN would not intervene in Kashmir issue until requested by both the parties-India and Pakistan.

“As far as this role of good offices is concerned, the United Nations normally takes that initiative when requested by both parties concerned. India and Pakistan, they are neighbouring countries, important nations in that region - peace and security would have important implications,” he said.

The UK reportedly repeated its support to see India on as a permanent member of the Security Council at the debate in the General Assembly. (ANI)