UN expects Indo-Pak to continue dialogue, despite incidents on LoC
14 Aug 2013 3:33 AM IST
Expressing sorrow over the incidents along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, UN chief Ban Ki-moon has said he was ‘reasonably encouraged’ by the efforts of India and Pakistan to resolve their source of conflict through talks.
‘While I am saddened by the loss of lives in the course of all this conflict, I am relatively, reasonably encouraged by the recent move by both sides to engage in dialogue, to resolve their source of conflict through dialogue - that I will strongly welcome and support,’ he said.
The 69-year-old former South Korean foreign minister made the remarks while talking to Pakistani journalists at the UN. He was responding to questions about tensions between India and Pakistan following clashes along the Line of Control.
Asked if he could help India and Pakistan reach a settlement, Ban said he could play a role only if both countries agreed on his mediation.
‘My offer of good office remains available. If both sides think this is useful and both sides agree, then I’ll be ready to offer my good offices,’ he said.
Ban said he would expect the Indian and Pakistani leadership to ‘continue their dialogue, to create some confidence-building measures’.
‘I was encouraged to see that there was a Kashmirs bus service - between the Indian and Pakistani sides. There is some increase in the lines of communications between the leaders. And this may be small, but you can expand this one...,’ he said.
Ban said tensions along the LoC were a ‘long-standing issue’ and UN military observers had been ‘trying to prevent any conflict (across) the LoC’.
‘But you should know that UNMOGIP (UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan) is not mandated with any political role. So, these political issues should be handled and discussed by the leaders of both governments,’ he said.
Responding to a question about Pakistan’s opposition to US drone strikes in the tribal belt and the UN’s possible role in ending the attacks, Ban said he had expressed concerns ‘on many occasions about the loss of life caused by armed UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)’.
‘The operations of UAVs are now guided and controlled by relevant international laws, including international humanitarian laws. We expect the operating countries or any group operating these UAVs to strictly adhere to the relevant provisions of international laws regulating UAVs,’ he said.
Asked about the UN’s role in Afghanistan after the draw down of US and foreign forces next year, Ban said: ‘With the withdrawal of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) in 2014, it will give us, not only to Afghanistan, and the people in the governments, the UN and regional countries, a challenge.’
The Afghan National Security Forces should be responsible ‘on their own for their security’. However, there is a concern over the capacity of the Afghan security forces, he said.
‘I’ve been urging the ISAF member states, including the US and key European countries, to provide the necessary equipment and resources to help them strengthen their capacity. That is important,’ he added.
‘While I am saddened by the loss of lives in the course of all this conflict, I am relatively, reasonably encouraged by the recent move by both sides to engage in dialogue, to resolve their source of conflict through dialogue - that I will strongly welcome and support,’ he said.
The 69-year-old former South Korean foreign minister made the remarks while talking to Pakistani journalists at the UN. He was responding to questions about tensions between India and Pakistan following clashes along the Line of Control.
Asked if he could help India and Pakistan reach a settlement, Ban said he could play a role only if both countries agreed on his mediation.
‘My offer of good office remains available. If both sides think this is useful and both sides agree, then I’ll be ready to offer my good offices,’ he said.
Ban said he would expect the Indian and Pakistani leadership to ‘continue their dialogue, to create some confidence-building measures’.
‘I was encouraged to see that there was a Kashmirs bus service - between the Indian and Pakistani sides. There is some increase in the lines of communications between the leaders. And this may be small, but you can expand this one...,’ he said.
Ban said tensions along the LoC were a ‘long-standing issue’ and UN military observers had been ‘trying to prevent any conflict (across) the LoC’.
‘But you should know that UNMOGIP (UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan) is not mandated with any political role. So, these political issues should be handled and discussed by the leaders of both governments,’ he said.
Responding to a question about Pakistan’s opposition to US drone strikes in the tribal belt and the UN’s possible role in ending the attacks, Ban said he had expressed concerns ‘on many occasions about the loss of life caused by armed UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)’.
‘The operations of UAVs are now guided and controlled by relevant international laws, including international humanitarian laws. We expect the operating countries or any group operating these UAVs to strictly adhere to the relevant provisions of international laws regulating UAVs,’ he said.
Asked about the UN’s role in Afghanistan after the draw down of US and foreign forces next year, Ban said: ‘With the withdrawal of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) in 2014, it will give us, not only to Afghanistan, and the people in the governments, the UN and regional countries, a challenge.’
The Afghan National Security Forces should be responsible ‘on their own for their security’. However, there is a concern over the capacity of the Afghan security forces, he said.
‘I’ve been urging the ISAF member states, including the US and key European countries, to provide the necessary equipment and resources to help them strengthen their capacity. That is important,’ he added.
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