GENEVA: India has urged friendly countries at the ongoing session of UN Human Rights Commission to give up their neutral stance on the Kashmir issue and come out openly against Pakistan’s State-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Abstaining in the event of a voting on Pakistan’s proposed resolution on Kashmir would undermine the very concept of human rights and encourage Islamabad’s involvement in terrorism Minister of State for External Affairs Salman Khurshid has told heads of various delegations in informal Meetings over the week. Speaking to Indian reporters Khurshid said the Indian delegation ‘has told friendly members that we have done our best to ensure greater transparency about the situation in Kashmir and not nothing more could be given as a result of the pressure of a resolution. There can be no quid pro Que on Kashmir he said.
‘Khurshid said we would consider abstention on the proposed Pakistan resolution (as bad) because we expect categorical rejection of the resolution and repudiation of Islamabad for supporting and sending militants into Jammu and Kashmir. ‘The voting on the proposed Pakistan he pointed out would be viewed in the larger of the human rights situation indifferent parts of the world So far as Pakistan is concerned
It is resolution and voting could have bilateral consequences and further hamper the process of a dialogue With a view to normalizing the relations which India is still keen for resume Khurshid said.
The proposed Pakistani resolution copies of which are already in circulation among the delegation and the participating Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) seeks to voice concern over the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir and proposes a fact-finding mission to visit the state and report to the UN General Assembly session in August-September and the human rights commission’s sessions next year.
Meanwhile leader of the Opposition Atal Behan Vajpayee on Thursday appealed to all countries attending the Human Rights Commission conference not to abstain from voting when the Pakistan Sponsored resolution on Kashmir comes up. He told newspersons here that it was not a question of violation of human rights in Kashmir but of Pakistan aiding and abetting terronsm in the valley and this should be opposed by all countries which are friendly to India.
We count on you as friends and there should be no question of being neutral on this matter Vajpayee said who had represented India at the conference. He felt that India had wasted two years on the diplomatic front by not countering the Pakistan propaganda on Kashmir and we never kept Pakistan on the defensive on the Kashmir issue.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1994
