China asks for UNSC meeting after Pakistan writes letter to UN

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United Nations: China in the UN Security Council has formally asked for "closed consultations" to discuss India revoking the special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir after Pakistan, Beijing's closest ally, wrote a letter against the issue to the Council President, Poland for the month of August, a top diplomat said. The UN diplomat told PTI that a request for such a meeting was submitted very recently, but no date has yet been scheduled for it. "China asked for closed consultations on the Security Council agenda item 'India Pakistan Question'. The request was in reference to the Pakistani letter to Security Council President," the diplomat stated

According to the news agency, PTI, Pakistan formally to discuss India revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister recently said. The diplomat stated that China also submitted a formal request for such a meeting but Poland has to consult and take into account the preferences of other Council members before deciding on time and date for the meeting. The official said, "so far no final decision on the time of the meeting had been made and Friday morning is the "earliest realistic option" for the meeting".

PTI also stated that Shah Mahmood Qureshi has sent a formal letter to the president of the Polish Ambassador Joanna Wronecka, Security Council through country's Permanent Representative Maleha Lodhi to convene the meeting. He said the letter will also be shared with all members of the UNSC."I have requested in the letter that a special meeting of the Security Council should be called to discuss those actions of India which we consider as illegal and against the UN resolutions," he informed.

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Shah Mahmood Qureshi had air-dashed to Beijing for consultation with the Chinese leadership on the issue of raising the Kashmir issue at the UNSC. He had also said that China backed Pakistan on the issue and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang told him he believed "China will stand up for justice on the Kashmir issue". During his bilateral meeting with Wang Yi, China's foreign minister on Monday in Beijing, S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister conveyed that the decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter for India.

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"India was not raising any additional territorial claims. The Chinese concerns in this regard were therefore misplaced," he said. Jaishankar told Wang that these changes had no bearing on Pakistan as it was an internal matter. "It did not impact the LoC. Where India Pakistan relations are concerned, Chinese side should base its assessment on realities. India, as a responsible power, had shown restraint in face of provocative Pakistani rhetoric and actions. India has always stood for normalisation of the ties in an atmosphere free of terror," he said

With inputs from PTI

Also read: Pakistan seeks emergency meeting of UNSC over Kashmir

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