UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Monday over the rapidly escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, urging both nations to exercise “maximum restraint” to avoid further deterioration of regional stability.
“It pains me to see India-Pakistan relations reaching a boiling point,” Guterres said. He also noted that tensions between India and Pakistan are at “their highest in years”.
“Make no mistake: A military solution is no solution,” he added.
Moreover, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to peace, Guterres offered his good offices to both countries, stating that the United Nations stands ready to support any initiative that promotes dialogue, de-escalation, and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a closed door meeting on Monday to discuss the growing tensions between the two countries, following a request from Islamabad for an emergency meeting. The discussions is set to take place at UN headquarters in New York.
In addition to the five permanent members with veto power — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — the UN Security Council currently includes ten non-permanent members: Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia.
Among these countries, China has vowed its support to Pakistan in case of a full-scale war between the historically disputing nations.
