UNSC postpones meeting after France disagrees over Kashmir

NEW YORK: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session has been postponed on Tuesday as France disagreed to attend the meeting to discuss the dispute of the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK). 

The UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “We are, obviously aware and watching the situation and watching it closely.” He was giving daily news briefing at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

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Five permanent members of the security council were expected to meet on Tuesdasy at China’s request to discuss the situation in the disputed region, but the meeting had had to be postponed after France opposed the move.

Any of five permanent members, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France can shoot down a UNSC meeting by simply disagreeing with the proposal.

Earlier, a journalist reminded Mr Dujarric that since Aug 5, people in the occupied territory have been living under curfew, lockdown and an information blackout. The UN spokesman said he was aware of the situation but did not have anything new to report.

The UNSC held its last meeting on Kashmir on Aug 16, after China asked the world body to review the rising tensions between South Asia’s two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, over the dispute.

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The issue had remained dormant since December 1971, when the UNSC held its last meaningful meeting on Kashmir.

In a letter to the Security Council on Dec 12, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed concern about a possible escalation of tension in the held valley.

Earlier, The UNSC session had been summoned upon the request of China. Pakistan drew the attention of the UNSC Presidency to the grave threat to peace and security as the military lockdown and curfew continue on the 135th consecutive day today in IoK.