Russia on Wednesday said India's withdrawal of special status to Jammu and Kashmir was its sovereign decision and an internal matter and Moscow's position on the issue is 100 per cent identical to New Delhi's stance.
Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev also said that both India and Pakistan should resolve their outstanding issues through dialogue on the basis of Simla agreement and Lahore declaration.
"India's decision (on Jammu and Kashmir) is a sovereign decision which is as per its Constitution. It is an internal matter of India. Our position on the issue is 100 per cent identical to India's position," he said, replying to a question on the issue.
Kudashev was addressing a press conference along with Deputy Chief of Russian Embassy Roman Babushkin on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Russia.
The Russian envoy said India and Pakistan should resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue and on the basis of Simla agreement and Lahore declaration.
Asked whether Russia, as an important player in the region, is trying to deescalate tension between India and Pakistan, Babushkin said: "We perceive the situation as a domestic situation. It is up to the Indian government to make the situation peaceful and calm for the sake of the local people."
When asked whether Russia was concerned over escalating tension between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, the DCM said, "It is not only Russia's concern, it is the concern of the whole international community."