Kashmir issue should be resolved under UN charter, UNSC resolution: China

Beijing:  China on Tuesday strongly reacted to the Indian top court’s decision to revoke the special status of Kashmir and called for settlement of the Kashmir issue in peaceful means according to the United Nations Charter, Security Council resolutions and relevant bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan.

“On Kashmir issue, China’s position is consistent and clear. This is a dispute left from the past between India and Pakistan and it should be properly addressed in peaceful means according to UN charter, UNSC resolutions and relevant bilateral agreements,” Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, Mao Ning said during her regular briefing held at International Press Center (IPC).

On December 11, Indian Supreme Court announced a decision endorsing BJP Govt’s unilateral step to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir region in a clear violation of UNSC resolution 122 which decided that final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue could only take place by UN supervised plebiscite.

“The relevant parties need to settle this dispute through dialogue and consultations and safeguard peace and stability in the region,” Mao Ning said in response to a question asked by APP.

Kashmiri leaders have already rejected the decision by the Indian Supreme Court and see the move as an attempt to dilute the demographics of Muslim majority with Hindu settlers.

Pakistan has strongly condemned the move and vowed to exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps taken by India.

On August 5, 2019, in a move to tighten its grip on the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir region, India dropped a constitutional provision that allowed the country’s only Muslim-majority region to make its own laws.