UNSC likely to hold closed door meet on Kashmir tonight

New Delhi, Jan 15: United Nations Security Council is set to hold a closed-door meeting on Kashmir in New York tonight. The move comes after China, acting on behalf of Pakistan, is pushing for a discussion on India's August 5 decision to revoke Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

France, which had played a lead role to thwart a similar effort by China a month ago, has disapproved of the attempt.

"France's position has not changed and is very clear: the Kashmir issue must be settled bilaterally - as we have stated on several occasions and will continue to reiterate to our partners on the United Nations Security Council," ANI reported quoting French diplomatic sources.

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

On August 5, India revoked Article 370 of the Constitution removing special status to Jammu and Kashmir and has also bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Reacting to India's decision, Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner soon after deciding to downgrade diplomatic ties with New Delhi.