India slams UNGA President Volkan Bozkir’s remarks on Kashmir during his Pakistan visit, says his standing diminished

File Photo (Credits: AP)

New Delhi: India has expressed its "strong opposition" to the comments made by United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir on Kashmir during his visit to Pakistan. Dismissing his "unwarranted references" on Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a strongly worded statement called the comments "unacceptable".

The statement said, "when an incumbent President of the UN General Assembly makes misleading and prejudiced remarks, he does a great disservice to the office he occupies" adding, his "behaviour is truly regrettable and surely diminishes his standing on the global platform." India also dismissed equating of Palestine and J&K saying that there is no " basis for comparison to other global situations."

During his Pakistan visit, the UNGA President equated Palestine with Jammu and Kashmir issue and said it's the "duty of Pakistan to bring this to UN Platform more strongly".

Volkan Bozkır is a Turkish diplomat and politician and the first Turkish National to hold the post of President of the United Nations General Assembly. The term of the presidency of UNGA is for a year and he is expected to remain impartial.

The comments will be seen as a violation of the code of ethics mentioned in Annex XI (a) for the President of the General Assembly as enshrined under resolution 70/305 of 13 September 2016. The Annex, para two says, "The President shall perform his or her duties and responsibilities in an impartial and equitable manner and in full honesty and good faith".

Para three of the same Annex states that President "shall avoid any action" that "might result in or create the appearance of" giving "unwarranted preferential treatment to any State..", in this case, is Pakistan. 

Additionally, para five points out, "President shall avoid any situation involving a conflict between his or her own personal or private interest and the interests of the Presidency or the United Nations". His comments are perceived to be shadowed by the Turkish foreign policy, which has taken the Pakistani position on Jammu and Kashmir irking India.