P5 statements may have been a coordinated action

NEW DELHI: The near identical statements by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) urging India and Pakistan to maintain restraint, which contributed to India’s decision not to strike back immediately after the capture of an IAF pilot by Pakistan on Wednesday, may have been a coordinated action to help de-escalate tensions between the nuclear armed neighbours.

The United States, Russia, China, France and UK — which make up the P5 — gave near identical statements on Wednesday after India shot down a Pakistan Air Force F16 fighter jet and an IAF pilot was captured by Pakistani armed forces after his MiG21 was shot down.

The P5 called for restraint as the situation was getting tense and outbreak of war was looming large. While all five powers advocated dialogue and worked backchannels to defuse tensions, four of them, barring China, conveyed to India that they upheld India’s right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism, ET has learnt.

Although China did not explicitly say so, its position was viewed as tacit support of India’s position, said people aware of the matter.

While the US is understood to have played backchannel role, Russia offered its good offices to mediate. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told TASS news agency on Thursday that Russia was ready to help mediate between Pakistan and India.