Poland’s Ambassador to India Adam Burakowski on Monday said Kashmir was a problem that India and Pakistan have to resolve bilaterally. “Poland hopes that both countries can work out a mutually beneficial solution bilaterally,” Burakowski told in an interview.
The European country holds the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for August. Pakistan approached the world body following India’s decision last week to scrap Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of Constitution.
“Poland believes that the dispute can only be resolved by peaceful means,” he said. “Like the European Union, we are in favour of dialogue between India and Pakistan.”
The Polish envoy said that “as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, Poland stands ready, if needed, to engage in preventing actions impacting security situation”. He added: “I would like to emphasise on the word ‘bilaterally’, that’s the keyword.”
According to the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999, Kashmir is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.
Sources said that the phone conversation between Jaishankar and the Polish Foreign Minister was key to framing their view. Jaishankar had, on August 8, briefed the Polish side, on India’s position concerning the modified status of J&K.
According to the Polish Foreign Ministry statement, Jaishankar had explained that the amendment repealing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution is of “strictly internal nature” and aims at “bringing security to the region that is particularly vulnerable to terrorist attacks”.
Jaishankar had emphasised that the recent amendment to the Constitution does not entail any international consequences and aims to end the temporary situation and to create better opportunities for the growth in the region, according to the statement.