NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed as a “positive step” the agreement between the militaries of India and Pakistan to observe a ceasefire at the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region, and hoped that it would pave the way for more talks between the two countries.
“The Secretary-General is encouraged by the joint statement issued by the militaries of India and Pakistan on their agreement to observing the ceasefire at the Line of Control in Kashmir and engaging through established mechanisms,” his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement read out at the regular noon briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York.
“He (UN chief) hopes that this positive step will provide an opportunity for further dialogue,” the statement said.
Replying to a question, the spokesman said the UN chief had no plans as yet to contact the leaders of India and Pakistan for starting the process to resolve the decades-old Kashmir dispute. He said the secretary-general’s good offices were always available for any member state who would request it.
The President of UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, also welcomed the agreement, which he said “sets an example for others and demonstrates the General Assembly’s value.”
READ MORE: Pakistan, India agree to ‘strictly observe’ ceasefire along LoC
Yesterday, Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar on said the hotline contact between the Directors General Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two neighbouring countries would help control ceasefire violations along the LoC.
Talking to a private news channel, the military’s spokesman said the military-to-military hotline mechanism between India and Pakistan, which dated back to 1987, remained effective from 2003 till 2013. Since 2014, there had been persistent rise in ceasefire violations (CFVs) by the Indian forces.
Now, both sides realized that the DGMOs hotline contact mechanism should be fully implemented in letter and spirit to avoid human and other losses, he added. The hotline contact was imperative to avoid any unusual situation and misunderstanding on the LoC, he said.
Replying to a question, Major General Babar said Pakistan had overcome terrorism through the operation ‘Rada ul Fassad’. He expressing satisfaction that there had been effective improvement in overall security situation across the country.
To another question, he said the countries took decisions keeping in view regional dynamics and acclimatizing situation. As far as Pakistan’s Armed Forces action was concerned, he said they will respond in a befitting manner to any unusual activity.
