Washington DC, September 23, 2020 (PPI-OT): Secretary General of Washington-based World Kashmir Awareness Forum (WKAF), Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, has thanked the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on behalf of the Kashmiris for reiterating one more time his government’s support for the just cause of Kashmir.
The Turkish President in his address to the ongoing 75th session of the UN General Assembly through video-link said, the Kashmir conflict, which is also key to the stability and peace of South Asia, is still a burning issue. He said steps taken by India following the abolition of the special status of IIOJK further complicated the problem. He said that Turkey was in favour of settling the Kashmir dispute through dialogue, within the framework of the United Nations resolutions and especially in line with the expectations of the people of Kashmir.
Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai in a statement issued in Washington said, “The people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir have no words to express their heartfelt thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Republic of Turkey for reiterating one more time his Administration’s support for the just cause of Kashmir. His words at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly have become source of inspiration and given hope to millions of hopeless people of the region. His statement at the United Nations General Assembly was the true reflection of the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. His reference to Kashmir is a statement of facts.”
The WKAF General Secretary said, President Erdogan’s latest statement is consistent with his statement, which he made in May 2017 during an interview with WION television channel “We should not allow more casualties to occur, and by strengthening multilateral dialogue, we can be involved, and through multilateral dialogue, I think we have to seek out ways to settle this question (Kashmir) once and for all.” “President Erdogan’s mention here for multilateral dialogue is also consistent with the statement made the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Volkan Bozkir who also happened to be a Turkish diplomat, who said, Multilateralism is not an option, but a necessity”, he added.
Dr Fai said, it is true that bilateralism has failed in resolving the Kashmir conflict. “The mantra has been repeated by some world powers that they have no alternative but to rely on bilateral talks between India and Pakistan to achieve a settlement. The experience of more than seventy years is ignored. No bilateral talks between India and Pakistan have yielded agreements without the active role of an external element. The missing element is sustained and coordinated diplomatic persuasion by peace-loving democratic powers.
The vision of President Erdogan needs to be pursued by the United Nations – the engagement of a multilateral effort – one or two permanent members of the Security Council along with India, Pakistan, Kashmiri leadership and Turkey. Turkey can play an effective role in bringing parties together, being friendly to both India and Pakistan. The proposal may seem rather unconventional but we believe that it would be a striking demonstration of the global statesmanship, which the United Nations can summon in the cause of peace, international security and human betterment,” he maintained.
The WKAF leader said, the United Nations has two choices before them. “One is to continue confining itself to warning both Pakistan and India against going to war with each other. This policy bases the no‑war prospect in South Asia on a very precarious foundation. The prospect of a nuclear exchange in that vast subcontinent cannot be dismissed in the event of hostilities breaking out between the two countries,” he pointed out.
The second option, Dr Fai said, is to play a more activist, mediatory role in regard to Kashmir as suggested by President Erdogan. “This can take the shape of a multilateral dialogue or an appropriate use of the newly‑developed procedures and mechanisms at the United Nations. The UN would supply the catalyst that is needed for a settlement,” he added.
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