Poland, the current president of United Nations Security Council (UNSC), on Monday, dismissed Pakistan's efforts of raising the Kashmir issue to the international security body and called for finding a bilateral solution, according to reports.
"Poland hopes that both countries can work out a mutually beneficial solution bilaterally." Poland's ambassador to India Adam Burakowski told The Indian Express.
"Like the European Union, we are in favour of a dialogue between India and Pakistan," he added.
Burakowski further said that as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Poland stands ready to prevent actions impacting security situation. "I would like to emphasise on the word 'bilaterally', that's the keyword," he added.
A Polish Foreign Ministry statement revealed that the Indian Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, had explained to Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz on August 8, that the amendment of the Indian Constitution is of "strictly internal nature" and aims at "bringing security to the region that is particularly vulnerable to terrorist attacks," reported TIE.
Pakistan has sought to raise to the UN security council the recent move by the Indian government, which scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status provided under Article 370 of the Constitution.
The report came on the same day Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi claimed that it will be difficult to find support against India from the five permanent members (P5) of the UNSC. He said garnering support "even from Muslim nations" would be difficult due to their strong economic relations with India.
Qureshi said at a press conference on Monday, "People in the Security Council aren't standing with flowers; any of the P5 members can be a hurdle. There shouldn't be any ambiguity on that, do not live in a fool's paradise."
The Security Council stated last week that New Delhi's move was "within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India" and called for both the countries to "not allow a new aggravation of the situation in the region as a result of the decisions".
Russia, a permanent member of the UNSC, echoed the UN Chief's statement on Article 370 and said, "We hope that the differences between them will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999."
Both the agreements state that Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria on August 7 and suspended all bilateral ties with India in retaliation to New Delhi's decision. The neighbouring country said the move was an "illegal, unilateral, reckless and coercive attempt" by India.
