Pakistan’s Cabinet concerned about US support for India’s UNSC membership

Pakistan’s Cabinet concerned about US support for India’s UNSC membership

Reform should be comprehensive, democratic and representative – FM Qureshi

 ANKARA, Nov 12:  The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan chaired by the Prime Minister in its meeting held on November 10 expressed serious concern and strong disappointment over the decision of the United States to support a permanent seat for India on the UN Security Council.

This decision has grave ramifications for the direction and prospects of the system of multilateral cooperation as envisaged by the founding fathers of UN Charter. It also has implications for peace and security and stability in Asia, particularly South Asia.

It is incomprehensible that the US has sought to support India, whose credentials with respect to observing UN Charter principles and international law are at best checkered. This is most explicitly illustrated by India’s disregard of Security Council Resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and gross and systematic violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiri people.

Any reform of the Council that contradicts the very fundamental principles of the UN Charter including the principle of sovereign equality; of equal rights and self-determination; and the principle of collective security would gravely undermine the system of international relations based on the UN Charter principles.

Pakistan, along with a large number of members of the international community, supports a principled process of reform of the Security Council. The future of UN cannot and must not be premised on considerations of power politics, politics of expediency and bereft of morals and ideals.

As Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, “Pakistan desires a comprehensive, democratic and representative expansion of the Security Council.”

ENDS