EAM address in UN: Speaking in his national capacity, Jaishankar said the credibility of the UN depends on its effective response to the key challenges of our time be it pandemic, climate change, conflicts or terrorism.

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WEB DESK

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar slammed Pakistan in his address at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday. The minister hit out at the neighboring state after Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardariwho unceremoniously raked up the issue of Kashmir during a UN gathering in New York to discuss the issue of multilateralism. Bhutto had termed Kashmir as an “unfinished agenda”.

Without naming any nation, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar slammed the neighboring state after Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari unceremoniously raked up the issue of Kashmir during a UN gathering in New York to discuss the issue of multilateralism.

Speaking in his national capacity, Jaishankar said the credibility of the UN depends on its effective response to the key challenges of our time be it pandemic, climate change, conflicts or terrorism.

He continued saying, “while searching for solutions, our discourse must never accept the normalisation of such threats. The question of justifying what the world regards as unacceptable should not even arise.”

“That certainly applies to state sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Nor can hosting Osama Bin Laden and attacking a neighbouring Parliament serves as credentials to sermonize before this council,” he said in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

“Multilateralism should be based on universal and consistent adherence to the UN charter,” he added.

Amidst calls for India’s inclusion in Security Council Bhutto said “Adding new permanent members to UNSC will numerically reduce the opportunities for the vast majority of the UN member states to be present on the Security Council. We must adhere to sovereign equality of all, not superiority of some.”

This is not the first time Pakistan has used the UN stage meant for multilateral agenda to discuss its bilateral issues. India responds in equal measures and calls out its misuse of the UN stage.

Jaishankar also hit out at China in his speech. He said, “On the challenge of terrorism, even as the world is coming together with a more collective response, multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators”.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said that UNSC is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

“Multilateral solutions under the umbrella of the security council offer the most effective approach to promoting peace and resolving conflicts. Parties to a dispute can not advocate multilateral process one day, multilateral reforms one day and insist on bilateral avenues the next and ultimately impose unilateral actions,” he said in a reference to Jammu and Kashmir without naming them.