European Parliament Calls For Resolving Kashmir issue Through Dialogue Between India and Pakistan

The European Union Parliament has urged India and Pakistan for resolution of the Kashmir issue through bilateral dialogue. The parliament discussed the Kashmir issue on September 17 for the first time in 12 years. Opening the debate on behalf of the vice president of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, EU Minister Tytti Tuppurainen said no one could afford another escalation in Kashmir. She urged India and Pakistan to seek a peaceful and political solution, respectful of the interests of the Kashmiri population on both sides of the Line of Control. The region has been under lockdown for over a month, ever since India revoked Article 370 of its constitution on August 5, reports SAMMA.

She said this is the only way to solve the long-lasting dispute to avoid instability and insecurity in the region. The EU minister underlined the importance of avoiding further escalation, saying our position on Kashmir remains unchanged. Most of the members urged India to lift curfew and communication blockade in Kashmir valley.Winding up the debate, Ms. Tytti Tuppurainen said that EU will continue to monitor closely the situation with a focus on de-escalation of the situation involving two nuclear powers. EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, Maja Kocijancic said at a press briefing:”We, as the EU, support a bilateral political solution between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, which in our view remains the only way to solve a long-lasting dispute that causes instability and insecurity in the region,” the spokesperson affirmed.Kocijancic further stressed that “the dialogue between India and Pakistan through diplomatic channels is crucial.”

Meanwhile, with More and more nations endorsing India’s stand on revocation of the special status  from Jammu & Kashmir, New Delhi on Tuesday, September 17 said there is no need to “worry” too much beyond a point about what people will say on Kashmir as it was its internal issue on which its position has “prevailed and will prevail”. Interacting with media persons in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 17, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the statement .He also slammed   Pakistan saying India has a “unique challenge” from one neighbor and it would remain a challenge until that neighbor becomes a normal neighbor and acts against cross-border terrorism. He also made it clear that with Pakistan, the issue is not Article 370, the issue is cross-border terrorism and the first thing that has to come to table for any talks with Pakistan has to be the terrorism issue. With Pakistan trying to raise the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, Jaishankar said international audience understands what were India’s reasons for abrogating Article 370.“It was a temporary provision which is not often used in the analysis of events…The provision had actually become dysfunctional. It was being arbitraged by some narrow set of people for their own gains. By doing so they were impeding development and feeding a sense of separatism. The separatism was being utilized by Pakistan to carry out cross-border terrorism,” he said. Jaishankar also said India’s position on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir  is very clear as it is part of India and we expect  one day we will have physical jurisdiction over  it.(edited by  Pranab Kumar Sources with inputs from  various sources) .