UNSC To Meet Over Kashmir Tonight As China Makes Fresh Pitch: Sources

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a closed-door meeting on Kashmir on Wednesday, media reports said quoting sources. China has made a fresh pitch to raise the Kashmir issue in the UNSC, the sources added. This is Beijing’s third such attempt in the last 6 months to conduct discussion over Kashmir on behalf of its all-weather-ally, Pakistan.

After India decided to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, a similar gathering was called by China in August last year. The meeting, however, had fallen flat failing to garner any support for Pakistan. The member nations agreed that scrapping up of Article 370 was India’s internal matter.

In August, Beijing’s move was thwarted by France and other permanent members of the UNSC.

Moreover, another UNSC meeting on Kashmir, scheduled in December, was not held.

Also Read: Pakistan Epitomises 'Dark Arts', No Takers For Its 'Malware': India At UNSC

French diplomatic sources have said that a UNSC member has again proposed to hold discussion over Kashmir. However, France once again looks set to oppose fresh request by member country for discussion on Kashmir in UNSC, said French diplomatic sources, reports news agency PTI.

Also Read: Confident Of India Becoming Permanent Member Of UNSC: Foreign Minister S Jaishankar

“France's consistent position has been that Kashmir issue must be settled bilaterally between India and Pakistan”, said French diplomatic sources.

Earlier in phone call, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held discussion over Kashmir. 

"In the spirit of trust and frankness that characterises their relations, the French President and the Indian Prime Minister discussed the situation in the region of Kashmir, which France continues to follow closely", the statement released by Elyse Palace had said.

Apart from China, all the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council - France, Russia, the US and the UK -- have been backing New Delhi's position that disputes between India and Pakistan are bilateral matters.

Pakistan has been pushing China to take up the Kashmir issue in the Security Council since India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 revoking priovisions of Article 370.