India, on May 28, slammed Volkan Bozkir, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president for his remark that Pakistan was “duty bound” to raise the Jammu and Kashmir issue more strongly in the UN.
India said Bozkir’s behaviour was regrettable and “surely diminishes his standing on the global platform”. Bozkir had made the remark during his visit to Pakistan.
In response to media queries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: “We express our strong opposition to the unwarranted references made with respect to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by the President of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) Volkan Bozkir during his recent visit to Pakistan.”
Bozkir’s remarks that Pakistan is “duty bound” to raise this issue in the UN more strongly are unacceptable, Bagchi said in a statement. “Nor indeed is there any basis for comparison to other global situations.”
“When an incumbent President of the UN General Assembly makes misleading and prejudiced remarks, he does great disservice to the office he occupies. The PGA’s behaviour is truly regrettable and surely diminishes his standing on the global platform,” Bagchi added.
Bozkir also reportedly said in Pakistan that the UN’s position on J&K was governed by its charter and applicable Security Council resolutions. “India and Pakistan’s Simla Agreement of 1972 which says the final status of J&K is to be settled by peaceful means in accordance with the UN charter,” Bozkir said.