By News Agency of Kashmir,
Toronto : Kashmir remains an issue of importance to the United Kingdom and it continues to urge India and Pakistan to seek a durable resolution to the issue, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people, says British Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office in a letter thanked Mr. Mushtaq A. Jeelani, Executive Director of the Kashmiri-Canadian Council (KCC), for his letter to the Prime Minister regarding the unresolved Kashmir issue and intensification of systematic human rights violations against civilians in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office letter states: “With regard to the UK position on the issue of Kashmir, the UK fully supports the ongoing Composite Dialogue process and confidence building measures between Pakistan and India, and continues to urge both countries to seek a durable resolution to the issue of Kashmir, which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.”
The letter further underlines: “We share your concern about the continued reports of human rights violations in the region, such as those reported by Human Rights Watch. The UK has called for an end to all external support for violence and an improvement in the human rights situation. Whilst it is not for the UK to prescribe a solution – that is for those parties directly involved to determine, through dialogue – Kashmir remains an issue of importance to the UK. We hope that the ongoing engagement between India and Pakistan will in due course lead to the resolution of all the outstanding differences between the two countries, including over Kashmir. An official statement of the Government’s position on Kashmir is contained in the Foreign Secretary’s Response to the Fourth Report of the Foreign Affairs committee Session 2006 – 7 – South Asia.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office letter concludes with Britain’s efforts for Kashmir’s peaceful resolution: “We are also engaged in a practical way through the UK’s Conflict Prevention Pool, supporting a number of projects designed to assist those in India, Pakistan and on [Kashmir’s] both sides of the Line of Control in their efforts to facilitate dialogue and address the causes and impact of conflict in the region.(NAK)