UN does not mention Kashmir for the first time in 50 years, but Pakistan to raise the issue nevertheless
Dhirendra Bisht and C K Arora in New York
Pakistan appears determined to raise the Kashmir issue
at the United Nations General Assembly though the world body has not
mentioned it in its annual report for the first time in 50 years.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief gave a clear indication to
this effect when he said he
would make use of the opportunity to ''project our principled
position on major issues, including Kashmir.''
The other issues he specifically listed included ''regional and
global peace and security,'' which again offers him a chance to
bring up his country's relations with India, especially in the
context of three rounds of talks between the two
countries.
The exclusion of the Kashmir issue in the UN annual report has
become a matter of concern and controversy in Pakistan. Many in
that country fear it might be a signal sent out by the world body and
its top officials, that the issue be settled bilaterally by
India and Pakistan.
Pakistan wants the US to play a role in the settlement of the
contentious issue, but India is totally opposed to a third party
involvement in the dispute.
The US says it does not not favour any
mediatory role for itself, but would be willing to help
the two countries resolve the 50-year-old dispute and normalise
relations in the sub-continent.
Most recently, the issue figured at the third round of foreign
secretary-level talks in New Delhi last week which failed to make
headway mainly because of different interpretations of the Islamabad
joint statement in June about setting up working groups on various issues.
India's position is that the statement does not envisage a
working group on Jammu and Kashmir, while Pakistan insists it does.
The matter is likely to come up during Sharief's meeting with
Gujral on Tuesday.
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