On Kashmir issue, India turns down mediation offer by UN chief Guterres

NEW DELHI: India on Sunday rejected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue and said the only issue to be addressed is the vacation of territories illegally occupied by Pakistan.

Guterres made the offer to mediate while addressing a news conference in Islamabad after his meeting with Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. He also said it is important for India and Pakistan to de-escalate “militarily and verbally” and exercise “maximum restraint”.

Responding to Guterres’ comments, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “India’s position has not changed. Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India. The issue that needs to be addressed is that of vacation of the territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan.”

Kumar added, “Further issues, if any, would be discussed bilaterally. There is no role or scope for third party mediation.”

The Indian side also called on Guterres to “emphasise on the imperative for Pakistan to take credible, sustained and irreversible action to put an end to crossborder terrorism against India, which threatens the most fundamental human right – the right to life, of the people of India, including in Jammu and Kashmir”.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked last August after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the state into two union territories. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled the Indian envoy in Islamabad. Pakistan has also repeatedly sought to raise the issue at the UN General Assembly and Security Council with the backing of its ally China.