Closed door meeting on J&K at UNSC: Here is what Poland had said

New Delhi, Aug 16: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will discuss the Jammu and Kashmir issue in closed door consultation today.

China had formally asked for "closed consultations" in the UN Security Council to discuss India revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir after Pakistan, Beijing's closest ally, wrote a letter on the issue to Poland, the Council President for the month of August.

Poland had made it clear that a solution to the Kashmir issue should be found bi-laterally. Poland currently holds the UNSC presidency.

The statement by Poland comes a few days after Russia, a permanent member of the UNSC made it clear that the move by India was carried out within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India.

These developments are encouraging for India, in the backdrop of Pakistan trying to make the Kashmir issue an international one. Pakistan has decided to go to the UN, including the security council and the raise the Kashmir issue.

For long India has maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bi-lateral one and after the abrogation of Article 370 the issue is internal.

India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar played a key role in shaping Poland's opinion on the issue. Jaishankar briefed Poland on India's position on Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

Meanwhile, India has also told China that its decisions on Jammu and Kashmir were not aimed at making any territorial claims along its disputed boundary.

The assurance came in the wake of China suggesting that the decision to end special status to Jammu and Kashmir would change the status quo of the disputed area and would lead to regional tensions.

S Jaishankar, however, conveyed to his counterpart, Wang Yi that New Delhi's decision on special status and also the reorganising of the state into two Union Territories had no implication for India's external boundaries and its de-facto border with China. The decision also has no impact on India's Line of Control or the de-facto border with China.

Wang told Jaishankar that Beijing perceived these decisions as a move by India to strengthen its claim not only on areas of Kashmir under the occupation of Pakistan but also on the 5,183 sq. km areas of Pakistan ceded to China in 1963 and on Aksai Chin, which is a disputed territory between India and China.

Last Friday, Wang had hosted Pakistan's foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. During the meeting, Beijing said that the issue relating to J&K should be resolved peacefully and in a proper manner based on the United Nations charter. India has maintained that neither the UN not any third party has any role in resolving the bi-lateral dispute.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi made it clear that it would be wrong on their part to expect the UN to wait for them with a garland.

Let us not live in a fool's paradise, he told the media at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. He said that the issue may not go Pakistan's way once it reaches the UNSC, with any of the P-5 nations playing spoilsport. He also said that the Muslim Ummah may not back Pakistan on Kashmir as India is a bigger market, where many have invested.

He said that giving vent to emotions is easy and raising objections easier. However, to understand issues and move forward is complicated. The UNSC is not waiting for us with garlands, he also said.

Let the people of Pakistan and Kashmir not live in fool's paradise. Let them know that nobody is holding out an invitation there. He also said that the Muslim nations have financial interests in India. We need to move forward with the utmost care.

Qureshi also spoke about the re-alignments, while pointing towards relations between India and UAE and Saudi Arabia. They all have investments there. It is a one billion dollar market, he also added.