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U.N. chief invokes Shimla Agreement, calls for ‘maximum restraint’ on Kashmir
Why is it in news?
- U.N. chief Antonio Guterres urged India and Pakistan to exercise “maximum restraint” and refrain from taking steps that could affect the status of Jammu and Kashmir, as he highlighted the Shimla Agreement which rejects any third-party mediation on the issue.
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- Context of the remark: The Secretary-General’s remarks came after India on August 5 revoked Article 370 to withdraw the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- Pakistan’s remark: Pakistan termed the Indian action as “unilateral and illegal”, and said it will take the matter to the U.N. Security Council.
- Appeal for maximum restraint:(1) The Secretary-General has been following the situation in Jammu and Kashmir with concern and makes an appeal for maximum restraint.(2) Secretary-General also recalls the 1972 Agreement on bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, also known as the Shimla Agreement.
- Shimla Agreement:(1) It states that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir is to be settled by peaceful means in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.(2) The Secretary General did not offer his good offices nor did he make any offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.(3) Instead, he referred to the Shimla Agreement, which is a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan and rejects any third-party mediation in the issue.(4) He said the position of the United Nations on the region was governed by the Charter of the United Nations and is applicable to Security Council resolutions.
Source
The Hindu