‘China, Pakistan Trying To Pass Off National Statements As That Of The UNSC’: Syed Akbaruddin On UN’s Meeting On Kashmir

Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) addressed the media after the closed door talk on Kashmir issue held on the request of China failed to deliver any results for China and Pakistan.

During the address, unlike his counterparts to the UN from China and Pakistan, Akbaruddin took several questions from journalists, many of whom hailed from Pakistan based media houses. Three of the six questions he took were from Pakistani journalists.

Akbaruddin, a seasoned diplomat who has previously also served at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan went on to shake hands with the Pakistani journalists as a sign of friendship, and asserted that India held its doors open for talks and relations with Pakistan as soon as Pakistan shuns the use of terrorism against India.

Akbaruddin asserted that Pakistan was using terrorism to push its goals, which is not a way in which normal nations engage or behave. He added, "No democracy will acknowledge or accept talks when terror thrives. Stop terror, start talks!"

It should also be noted that Akbaruddin came forward to address the media after the UN representatives of China and Pakistan broke the protocol for the informal backdoor consultations of the UNSC and passed off national statements as the will of the entire UNSC at the end of the meeting which Pakistan was not even a part of.

Akbaruddin emphasised, "I do not tell you that the Security Council is a very deliberative institution. It works in a very considered manner. Its outcomes are provided to all of us through the president. So if national statements try to masquerade as the will of the international community, I thought I will come across to you and explain our national position."

Extending an olive branch to Pakistan, Akbaruddin also stressed that India remains committed to resolve the standing bilateral issues under the mutually agreed upon Shimla Accord of 1972.

When asked when would the dialogue between India and Pakistan start, he answered, "We have already extended our hand of friendship by saying we are committed to Simla agreement."