UNSC begins closed door consultations on situation between India, Pakistan

The UN Security Council commenced closed-door consultations on the situation between India and Pakistan, hours after Secretary General Antonio Guterres voiced concern over tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours being “at their highest in years”.

Pakistan, presently a non-permanent member of the highly effective 15-nation Security Council, had requested for “closed consultations” on the situation.

The closed-door assembly won’t happen within the UNSC Chamber the place Council members sit on the highly effective horse-shoe desk however in a consultations room subsequent to the chamber.

Follow Pahalgam assault updates: May 5, 2025

Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific within the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khaled Mohamed Khiari of Tunisia will temporary the Council on behalf of each departments (DPPA and DPO).

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad might temporary reporters after the assembly.

Just hours earlier than the closed consultations, Mr. Guterres voiced concern over tensions between India and Pakistan being at “their highest in years”, saying “it pains me to see relations reaching a boiling point”.

Mr. Guterres made remarks to the press from the UNSC stake-out Monday morning amid rising tensions between the neighbours following the April 22 Pahalgam terror assault in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, together with a Nepali citizen.

Mr. Guterres mentioned he understands the “raw feelings” following the “awful terror attack” in Pahalgam and reiterated his robust condemnation of that assault, extending his condolences to the households of the victims. “Targeting civilians is unacceptable – and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” he mentioned.

He burdened that it’s important – particularly at this crucial hour — to keep away from a navy confrontation that would simply spin uncontrolled. “Now is the time for maximum restraint and stepping back from the brink. That has been my message in my ongoing outreach with both countries. Make no mistake: A military solution is no solution,” the UN chief mentioned.

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He reiterated that he gives his good workplaces to each governments within the service of peace. “The United Nations stands ready to support any initiative that promotes de-escalation, diplomacy, and a renewed commitment to peace.”

Apart from the 5 veto-wielding everlasting members — China, France, Russia, U.Ok. and the U.S. — the ten non-permanent members within the Council are Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia.

India’s former Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin advised PTI that no “consequential outcome” might be anticipated from “a discussion where a party to the conflict seeks to shape perceptions by using its membership of the Council. India will parry such Pakistani efforts”.

In August 2019, China had requested closed UNSC consultations to debate India’s transfer to revoke the particular standing of Jammu and Kashmir.

That assembly had ended with none end result or assertion from the highly effective 15-nation U.N. organ, dealing an enormous snub to Pakistan’s efforts, backed by Beijing, to internationalise the Kashmir concern, which an awesome majority within the Council burdened is a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Mr. Akbaruddin, who was India’s prime diplomat to the U.N. headquarters in New York in the course of the time, had mentioned following the August 2019 assembly that India’s nationwide place was and stays that issues associated to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution “are entirely an internal matter of India. These have no external ramifications”.

Also learn | Pahalgam assault: UN chief Antonio Guterres urges India, Pakistan to train ‘maximum restraint’

On the UNSC closed consultations Monday, India’s former Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti advised PTI that “predictably, Pakistan has taken advantage of the dastardly terror act sponsored by them in Pahalgam to raise the bogey of a nuclear flare-up and agitate the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the UN Security Council”.

“Fortunately, this will not receive traction with the P-5, with the exception of China, since they treat this as a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan,” he mentioned.

Mr. Tirumurti added that even when UNSC member states don’t often stop closed consultations if requested, no end result is anticipated. He helmed India’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. from May 2020 to June 2022, in the course of the nation’s 2021-22 tenure within the Security Council as a non-permanent member.

Also learn | Pakistan to temporary U.N. Security Council on India’s ‘aggressive actions’: Pak Foreign Office

In the weeks following the Pahalgam terror assault, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with all Council members, aside from China and Pakistan.

In his calls, Mr. Jaishankar underlined that “its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice”.

Mr. Jaishankar had a “good conversation” with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and had “discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack”. “India had welcomed Greece’s firm opposition to cross-border terrorism and “our Strategic Partnership reflects the depth of our ties,” Mr. Jaishankar had mentioned.

Last week, Mr. Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the Pahalgam terror assault in a name with Mr. Jaishankar, noting the significance of pursuing justice and accountability for these assaults by way of lawful means whereas voicing deep concern at rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

Mr. Guterres spoke individually with Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“In his phone calls, the Secretary General reiterated his strong condemnation of the April 22 terrorist attack that took place in Jammu and Kashmir. The Secretary General noted the importance of pursuing justice and accountability for these attacks through lawful means,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, had mentioned.