Pressure mounts on Pakistan, India to deescalate tensions

The United Nations and the United States have urged Pakistan and India to respect the ceasefire in the Kashmir in view of clashes between forces of the uneasy neighbours along the Line of Control.

Pakistan and India signed a ceasefire along the LoC in 2003 and guns had been relatively silent since then. However, the recent clashes have raised worldwide concerns about the fate of the ceasefire and escalations.

Pakistan has proposed investigation through the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan or UNMOGIP.

The U.N. Spokesman Martin Nesirky said while received a complaint from Pakistan about an Indian incursion on January 06, it received no complaint from either the Pakistan Army or Indian Army about the alleged January 08 incident.    On its part, Pakistan has rejected the Indian claim as propaganda to cover up Indian attack against Pakistani soldiers on Sunday.
“UNMOGIP is aware that the Pakistan Army and Indian Army are in contact via the Hotline and urges both sides to respect the cease-fire and de-escalate tensions through dialogue,” the spokesman said at the regular noon briefing in New York.
Meanwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has directed U.S. ambassadors in Islamabad and New Delhi to work with the two government as part of diplomatic efforts to help defuse Pakistan-India tensions, resulting from cross-LoC firing in disputed Kashmir region.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Washington has urged

calm and counseled both Pakistan and India to talk to each other to sort out the tensions.

Commenting on the Pakistani proposal to have UN involvement in

investigating the Line of Control incident, the spokesperson said if the two South Asian neighbors show interest in getting UN support, Washington would back such a move but at the moment the U.S. is asking them to work with each other.

“She (Hillary Clinton) has instructed our ambassadors to work with both governments, which they are doing”, Nuland said at the daily briefing.

She reiterated U.S. concern about reports of violence along the line of control.

“It is our understanding that the governments of India and Pakistan are now talking and trying to work through these issues at a high level. We are urging both sides to take steps to end the violence”.

“We continue to strongly support any efforts to improve relations between the two countries. We have also discussed these latest incidents with both governments, urged them to talk to each and urged calm”, the spokesperson said.

“We have been counseling both governments to de-escalate to work through these issues to continue the consultations between them at a high level and we understand they are ongoing now.  Violence is not the answer for either country”, Nuland remarked.

Asked to comment on Pakistani proposal that it is open to third UN involvement in investigation into the alleged incident, she said, “Our view is that India and Pakistan have made pretty good progress in recent years in working through a number of difficult issues including opening of the trade relations etc, that they are now engaged at a high-level on these recent incidents. If they can work it out themselves that is obviously best.

“If both parties were interested in support form the UN etc we will obviously support that.  But at the moment we are urging them to talk to each other”.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Jan 10 2013. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan, South Asia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.