India: Clearing the stand taken by Russia on Kashmir issue in the United Nations, Russia’s ambassador to India, Roman Babushkin, said on Wednesday that “no international interference” should be practiced, as dismissal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir is the personal matter of India.
The Deputy Chief of Mission mentioned that Kashmir remains an internal issue of India which is meant to be sorted out with Pakistan through communication. Their statement was in favour of India, and Russia supported India during the closed consultation in UN Security Council.
He also dismissed concerns that Russia had taken a ‘dubious’ stand on Kashmir, asserting that as a member of UN, every nation should obey the laws proposed by UN, which includes “no interference in domestic matter”.
After December 1971, this is the first time UNSC has discussed the issue of Kashmir and underpinned the decision of India to suspend the special constituency of Jammu and Kashmir province. The Council’s president, Joanna Wronecka of Poland, however, did not get the green light from all members to issue a public statement, much to India’s respite because US, France and UK had along with Russia backed India’s actions, according to the sources.
The Simla Agreement of 1972 signed by the then Prime minister of India Indira Gandhi and the then Prime minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made it clear that there should be no intervention of UN or third party in the internal issues among these 2 nations. The reaffirmation of Simila Agreement was done by Lahore Declaration in 1999 by the then Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan AB Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif.
