New Delhi: India on Tuesday rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reference to Jammu and Kashmir during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, asserting that no external party has any locus standi on matters concerning India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had rejected what it described as “unwarranted references” to India and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is a matter, as you would understand, pertaining to India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and no external party has any locus standi on this issue,” Jaiswal said.
Erdogan, in his UNGA address on September 22, had said that disputes in South Asia, including the Kashmir issue, should be addressed through dialogue within the framework of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.
India has consistently maintained that issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir should not be subject to third-party mediation. New Delhi has also reiterated its position that any discussions with Pakistan on matters related to Jammu and Kashmir should take place bilaterally.
Turkey has raised the Kashmir issue at international forums on previous occasions. India’s latest response reiterates its longstanding diplomatic position that questions concerning its territorial integrity and sovereignty fall within its bilateral and sovereign framework.
The exchange comes amid continuing diplomatic differences between New Delhi and Ankara over Turkey’s positions on issues concerning India and Pakistan.
