The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold closed-door meet on India’s move to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
The UNSC will discuss the Jammu and Kashmir situation behind closed doors most likely on 16 August," UNSC President Joanna Wronecka told reporters on Wednesday.
This came after China formally asked for "closed consultations" in the Security Council to discuss Kashmir following Pakistan’s letter on the issue to Poland, the Council President for August.
Pakistan has failed on three occasions to get the world body to have an open discussion on the issue of Kashmir after India decided to abrogate provisions of Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. On August 13, Pakistan approached the UNSC for an urgent meeting to prevent escalation of tensions.
In his letter to UNSC President Wronecka, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi sought to participate in the meeting under the agenda item India-Pakistan question’.
India Today learnt that since Pakistan did not get a hearing, China on Wednesday asked for the body for closed consultations. Pakistan will not be present in the room when consultations take place.
Officials privy to the proceedings have told India Today that since there was no support for Pakistan’s request for an open meeting with them being permitted to speak, they asked China to seek closed informal consultations amongst council members to discuss Pakistan's letter.
Any member can ask for such consultations among all members on any issue. It is not considered as a formal meeting, a former diplomat said. While these are just consultations, one will have to see if the meet leads to a statement by the UNSC on Kashmir.
Source: India Today