 "No scope for UN mediation in the case of Kashmir: Subramanian Swamy")
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday categorically said that there is no scope for the United Nations' mediation in Kashmir issue and the world body should see that Pakistan doesn't encourage terrorism.
Addressing his first press conference at UN headquarters, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said that his recent meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif were targeted at initiating dialogue between the two neighbours to resolve the issue of Kashmir.
Though the UN Secretary General has not given an impression that he would be mediating between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue, but his statement has raised many eyebrows in India and is being seen as a 'mediation bid'.
Swamy said Kashmir is a part of India and so there is no question of any sort of negotiation.
"Kashmir is a part of India. There is nothing to negotiate. Only thing that the UN needs to see is that Pakistan does not encourage terrorism. There is nothing else to be done. So, there is no scope for UN mediation in the case of Kashmir," Swamy told ANI.
Guterres met Prime Minister Modi in St. Petersburg this month on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, whereas he met Nawaz Sharif in Astana on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit held this month.
The UN chief had met Sharif in January also during the World Economic Forum meeting at Davos.
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since independence of both countries in 1947. The ties between New Delhi and Islamabad have worsened in the recent past.