ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his Russian Counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday to brief him on the current situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency reported.
The foreign minister briefed the Russian foreign minister on the illegal and unilateral steps taken by the Indian government to change the disputed status of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and its demographic structure. He added that these steps by India were against the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and International Law.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi underlined that Indian actions entailed grave risks for peace and security. He highlighted the severe hardships faced by the people of the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir in the face of unprecedented lockdown of the entire population.
The foreign minister apprised on the deteriorating situation of safety and security of the population in the Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir, which has been under curfew for the last ten days.
Qureshi also shared concerns about the intensified repression by Indian security forces and the possibility of false flag operation, which would further endanger peace and security in the region. He underscored to his Russian counterpart that Pakistan had already requested the President of UNSC to convene a meeting to discuss the illegal actions of India in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The Russian foreign minister stated that Russia was closely observing the situation. He underlined the importance of resolution of all outstanding issues through dialogue and peaceful means. The two leaders agreed to continue to work together for peace and stability in the region.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on its website states as:
On August 14, at the initiative of the Pakistani side, a telephone conversation took place between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation S.V. Lavrov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Sh.M. Kureishi.
During the conversation, the situation in South Asia was discussed amid the worsening relations between Pakistan and India after the decision made by New Delhi to change the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir. The Russian side emphasized the need to de-escalate tensions and to have no alternative to resolving differences between Pakistan and India on a bilateral basis by political and diplomatic means. This consistent position is also shared by Russian representatives at the UN.
