Pak decides not to raise Kashmir in UNSC

Faced with strong opposition, Pakistan, current president of the UN Security Council, has dropped its plan to include the Kashmir issue in the agenda of the council's May 13 meeting.

Diplomats said during a closed-door discussion on programme of the council, its members strongly opposed raising the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, said though Kashmir is the "most dangerous conflict in the world," he has not "taken advantage" of his position to include it in the council's agenda.

"Everytime Pakistan speaks in the council on peace and security, we speak about Kashmir and we will continue to do so in our national capacity," he said adding "but as council president we will act with utmost impartiality."

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri is expected to attend the May 13 meeting and Pakistani sources said he would talk on Kashmir in his statement.

That would not amount to raising the Kashmir issue as the council does not take note of the issues mentioned in individual statements.

Diplomats said his statement would be aimed at domestic audience, who are pressing that Pakistan raise the Kashmir issue during its presidency unaware of the fact that consent of other members too is needed for an issue to be put on the agenda.

Akram said though relations between India and Pakistan were "obviously difficult, to put in mildly," the issues between them could be resolved only through dialogue and peaceful means and "not through threats of use of force."

He said he was heartened by the recent moves made by both sides to normalise the situation and hoped that those moves would be implemented and enlarged.