Malaysian PM Defends Remarks On Kashmir At UNGA, Says Not Taking Sides In India-Pakistan Conflict

After India lodged strong protest against the Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Mahathir Bin Mohamad's comments on Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the PM of the South Asian nation on Tuesday (8 October) defended his comments against India, reports Asian News International (ANI).

Mahathir asserted that what he said in the UNGA was already raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting at Vladivostok in Russia's Far East earlier in the first week of September. He pressed that any dispute among two nations should be settled via negotiation, arbitration or court of law.

Responding to Mohamad’s critical remarks against India at UNGA, the external affairs ministry spokesperson last week said the developments in Jammu and Kashmir are a “purely internal matter”, and that Malaysia should keep in mind friendly relations between the two countries and “desist from making such remarks”, reports Hindustan Times.

The Malaysian PM also said that Kuala Lumpur is not taking sides in the India-Pakistan conflict and demanded both parties to negotiate and refrain from using violence.

Also ruling out any possible repercussions on the trade front with India because of his anti-India stance on the matter, Mahathir reasoned that he had already talked to PM Modi over the issue.

Mahathir said, "I have already spoken to Modi. If there are any unsatisfactory feelings within Modi, he can contact me, but to date, no calls."

It should be noted that Malaysia, Turkey and China are the only nations to have supported Pakistan in its anti-India stance on the Kashmir issue at the recently culminated 74th session of the UNGA in New York.