n a statement that can be construed as a huge boost for India, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appealed to both New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve the Kashmir issue via bilateral dialogue. The UN chief’s comments come at a time when Pakistan has been making efforts to internationalise the issue – first at the United Nations Security Council last month and then again at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday. Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric said the UN’s position on mediation has always remained the same. The spokesperson further said that the UN Secretary-General is very concerned about any potential escalation between the two countries over Kashmir. Guterres had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit last month in Biarritz in France and had also spoken to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Guterres on Monday also met the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, on her request over the Kashmir issue. The position of the United Nations on the Kashmir region is governed by the Charter of the United Nations and applicable Security Council resolutions. The provisions of the Charter require the concerned members to settle their disputes by peaceful means and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of any nation.
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