In a significant development,
Jammu and Kashmir has been
removed from the UN list of
unresolved disputes, giving a
setback to Pakistan which has
been asking the world body to
intervene on the issue.
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," said Amjad
Hussain B Sial, Pakistan' acting
envoy to the UN.
"We understand this was an
inadvertent omission, as Jammu
and Kashmir is one of the oldest
disputes on agenda of the
Security Council," he added.
Sial was speaking at the UN
General Assembly session, which
was discussing the functioning
and reform of the Security
Council. It 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 countries.
Speaking earlier at the General
Assembly, the UK envoy to the
UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said that
"some long-running situations,
including in the Middle East,
Cyprus and Western Sahara
remain unresolved, as do issues
where the Council has become
engaged in recent years,
including Nepal and Guinea
Bissau."
"Huge challenges remain in
Sudan, Somalia and the DRC," he
added.
Pakistan repeatedly raises
Kashmir as an issue for the UN
while India asserts that its is an
internal matter.
While expressing concern about
the unrest, Secretary- General
Ban Ki-moon said that the UN
will not intervene until
requested by both parties.
"As far as this role of good
offices is concerned, the United
Nations normally takes that
initiative when requested by
both parties concerned," Ban
said in October.
"India and Pakistan, they are
neighbouring countries,
important nations in that region
- peace and security would have
important implications," he
added.
At the debate in the General
Assembly, the UK also repeated
its support to see India on as a
permanent member of the
Security Council.
"On the Council's structure, we
continue to support permanent
membership for Brazil, Germany,
India and Japan, as well as
permanent representation for
Africa," said Philip Parham,
deputy envoy to UK.
"We look forward to working
with many of these countries
next year when they join the
Security Council," he said,
referring to the entry of India
and Germany on the Council
next year as non-permanent
members for a two year term.
While Japan will leave the Council
in 2011, Brazil will serve out one
more year.
The UK representative also
suggested "an intermediate
model" of reform, which would
create new seats with a longer
mandate than the present two
year term.
Then, at the end of this period, a
review would be done to see
whether these seats should be
turned into permanent ones.
Pakistan, which objects to India
being on the Council, argued
that the new council should
include a few large states, a
number of medium sized States
and a majority of smaller States.
"We support the position of the
Organization of Islamic
Conference demanding
adequate representation of
Muslim Ummah in the Security
Council," said Sial.