Korean Gen appointed Chief of UN Military Group in India, Pak

New Delhi, Oct 18 (UNI) Major General Kim Moon Hwa of South Korea was appointed the Chief of the United Nations Military Observer in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), officials said here today.

Maj Gen Kim served as Deputy Chief Military Observer for the UNMOGIP operation from 1995 to 1997 as part of his extensive military career since joining the Korean Army in 1976.

He will succeed Major General Dragutin Repinc of Croatia, who ended his two-year mandate to the position earlier this year.

The UNMOGIP, set up in 1949, was deployed in January the same year to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Since the 1971 India-Pakistan war which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, UNMOGIP monitors the ceasefire called by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

India says the mandate of UNMOGIP has lapsed, since it related specifically to the ceasefire line under the Karachi Agreement.

Pakistan, however, does not accept this position.

Given the disagreement between the two parties about UNMOGIP's mandate and functions, the UN Secretary General's position has been that UNMOGIP could be terminated only by a decision of the Security Council.

The military authorities of Pakistan have continued to lodge complaints with UNMOGIP about the ceasefire violations. The military authorities of India have lodged no complaints since January 1972 and have restricted the activities of the UN observers on the Indian side of the Line of Control.

They have, however, continued to provide accommodation, transport and other facilities to UNMOGIP.

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