United Nations/New Delhi: At the behest of China, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday held a closed-door consultation on the situation in Kashmir days after India abrogated Article 370 that had granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, creating a fresh row with Pakistan.
The closed-door meeting the UN Security Council began around 7:30 PM on the Kashmir issue and ended after lasting for over an hour, said sources.
The world body had called the closed-door consultations on Kashmir at the behest of China after it asked for an informal meeting responding to a letter written by Pakistan.
However, minutes ahead of the meeting, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dialed the US President and was also trying to reach out to the other members of the Permanent Five (P-5), in order to present its case before the UNSC before it met to discuss the Kashmir issue.
Meanwhile, it has also come to light that only China “openly favoured” Pakistan at the UNSC informal meet on the Kashmir issue.
Apart from China, other four permanent members of the UNSC – France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States – have backed New Delhi’s position that disputes between India and Pakistan are bilateral matters, said sources.
The US has further said that developments in Kashmir are India’s ”internal matter.”
India has categorically told the international community that its move to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution removing the special status to Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.