India rejected reference made to Jammu and Kashmir by China and Pakistan
New Delhi:
India on Saturday categorically rejected the reference made to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement issued by Pakistan and China after talks between foreign ministers of the two countries.
Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an “integral and inalienable” part of India and that it expects the parties concerned not to interfere in the country’s internal matters.
“As in the past, we categorically reject the reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the joint press release of the 2nd Round of China-Pakistan foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue,” he said.
In their second annual strategic dialogue on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed the Kashmir issue and progress on the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, among a host of other issues.
Mr Srivastava said, “India has repeatedly conveyed its concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which are in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.”
“We resolutely oppose actions by other countries that change the status quo in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and call on the parties concerned to cease such actions,” Mr Srivastava added.
