ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed the hope that India would abide by the relevant rules and norms governing the United Nations as it assumes the Presidency of the Security Council.
India, which is currently a non-permanent member of UNSC for a two-year term, will assume the presidency of the powerful 15-nation body for the month of August.
The UNSC presidency rotates on a monthly basis following the alphabetical order of the names of the member states. India entered UNSC on January 1, 2021, and will get the presidency twice during its term ending on Dec 31, 2022.
Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry, in a statement, said as India assumes this role for the current month, we would also like to once again remind it of its legal obligation to implement the UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the President is responsible for the conduct and running of meetings of the Security Council and is bound to act in accordance with the Rules of Procedures.
India takes over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August with plans to focus on maritime security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism, said an Indian diplomat.
“It’s a singular honour for us to be presiding over the security council in the same month when we are celebrating our 75th independence day,” TN Tirumurti, India’s permanent representative to the UN said in a video message released on Friday. He said India plans to organize “signature events” in three priority areas during its presidency including maritime security, peacekeeping and counterterrorism. “
Maritime security has high priority for us. It is important for the security council to take a holistic approach to this issue. Peacekeeping is a topic close to our hearts given our long and pioneering involvement with peacekeeping,” said Tirumurti.
The timing of India’s presidency coincides with the second anniversary of the annexation of Occupied Kashmir by India and the completion of the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. India’s presidency means that Pakistan would not be able to seek any discussion on the situation in Occupied Kashmir in the Security Council on this occasion.
