UNMOGIP can only be terminated by UNSC

United Nations, Jan 23: With India suggesting that the UN observer group's presence on LoC was not required anymore, the world body's chief said the force can only be terminated by a decision of the 15-nation Security Council. "The Secretary-General's position has always been that United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) can only be terminated by a decision of the UN Security Council," UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky said in an email to PTI. He noted that the UNMOGIP was established in 1948 by the UN Security Council.  During a UNSC open debate on peacekeeping organised by Pakistan yesterday,

India's Permanent Representative to the world body Hardeep Singh Puri had said that UNMOGIP's role had been "overtaken" by the 1972 Simla Agreement, which was signed between India and Pakistan.  “Following the Simla pact, the two countries had resolved to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations,” he said.  The Indian envoy had also suggested that it would be better to spend the resources allocated for UNMOGIP in other areas or missions to ensure the finances are better utilized elsewhere in times of austerity. Rejecting any suggestion of winding down the UN mission in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Masood Khan said UNMOGIP continues to monitor the ceasefire in accordance with Security Council resolution and its mandate is "therefore fully valid, relevant and operative".

“No bilateral agreement has overtaken or affected the role or legality of the observer group. The fact is that both India and Pakistan are hosting UNMOGIP,” he said.

India has ruled out any intervention by the UN in settling issues, including Kashmir, with Pakistan. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid reiterated in New Delhi that India's position has been that "bilateral issues should be settled bilaterally". UNMOGIP observers have been located at the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir since 1949 and supervise the truce between the two neighbours. Currently there are 39 military observers in Kashmir, 25 international civilian personnel and 48 local civilian staff.

Source: http://www.risingkashmir.in/