Imran Khan calls Trump, discusses Kashmir issue

Islamabad/United Nations, August 16

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday discussed the Kashmir issue with US President Donald Trump over phone, as the United Nations Security Council held a closed-door meeting to discuss India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Khan took the US President “into confidence” regarding the UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters after the Indian government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Prime Minister Khan conveyed Pakistan’s concern on recent developments in Kashmir and the threat they pose to the regional peace,” Qureshi was quoted as saying by state-run Radio Pakistan.

The Foreign Minister said the conversation between the two leaders was held in a “cordial environment”. They also agreed to remain in contact over the Kashmir issue, he said.

They also discussed the situation in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Khan said Pakistan has been playing a “constructive role to bring peace in Afghanistan and it made efforts in past and will do so in future too.”         

Qureshi during a press conference said Pakistan has contacted four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and are “also trying to contact French President so that his country understands our position”.

The UN Security Council on Friday held a rare closed-door meeting to discuss India revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir after Pakistan, backed by its all-weather ally, China, requested “closed consultations” on the issue.

The meeting was open only to the five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.

China, a permanent member of the UNSC and close ally of Pakistan, had asked for “closed consultations” in the Council.

Russia backs India

Russia’s deputy permanent representative, Dimitry Polyanskiy told reporters before entering the meeting room that Moscow’s view is that it is a “bilateral issue” between India and Pakistan.

He said the meeting was being held to understand what is happening. “That’s what closed consultations are for. What does Russia think the next step should be — we favour bilateral track between India and Pakistan. You know our position. It hasn’t changed. Today we have closed consultations and we will just exchange opinions and see what we can do and what we cannot do. It is a normal process.”     

When asked if Russia was concerned over the tense situation between India and Pakistan, Polyanskiy said, “We are very much concerned. We hope to avoid it.

Asked if the Council can play a useful role, he replied, “We first need to discuss and then we’ll see.”

Replying to another question, he said, “sometimes it is better not to touch upon such an issue. It’s a bilateral issue,” the Russian diplomat said.

It is significant that the discussions are not being held at the horse-shoe table in the Security Council Chamber, which is a more formal format for meetings.

In a setback to Pakistan’s intentions, the consultations on its letter to the Council are closed and informal and there will unlikely be a formal pronouncement after the meeting, diplomatic sources said.

In the letter to the UNSC, Pakistan had requested that its representative be allowed to participate in the meeting, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and rule 37 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council.

But Pakistan’s request was not allowed, the sources said.

On August 5, India revoked Article 370 of the Constitution removing special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and 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.

India has categorically told the international community that its move to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality. PTI