United Nations Security Council Simulation - Kashmir
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INTERNATIONAL MINDS Peace and Security
United Nations Security Council Simulation – Kashmir
This simulation involves the following nations:
- United States - Australia
- United Kingdom - Bangladesh
- Russian Federation - India
- China - Pakistan
- France - Afghanistan
- Saudi Arabia
Topic information can be found at: www.CreativeDiplomacy.org/Kashmir
www.CreativeDiplomacy.orgINTERNATIONAL MINDS Peace and Security
United States
The United States continues to stand by their traditional position on Kashmir; It is for India and
Pakistan to determine the pace, scope and character of their dialogue on Kashmir. However, both
India and Pakistan view the United States as favoring the other. Pakistan increasingly views the
United States as preferential towards India, which was reinforced by the civilian nuclear agreement
between Washington and New Delhi. On the other hand Indian policy makers are worried that the
US will pressure India to appease Pakistan to ensure Pakistan’s continuing cooperation in
Afghanistan and the Global War on Terror. Both countries expect American intervention, yet both
sides have never requested American mediation in the matter.
The US would be ready and willing to help India and Pakistan defuse dangerous crises triggered
by the Kashmir dispute. The United States has been supportive of bilateral efforts to develop and
advance a peace process that could potentially lead to a Kashmir settlement. America’s role in the
peace process of Kashmir would remain supportive, but from a distance.
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United Kingdom
Great Britain maintained a presence in the region for over 200 years and directly controlled the
area of British India from 1858-1947. The Indian subcontinent was vital to Great Britain’s economic
and foreign policy. Even with Indian and Pakistani independence, Britain didn’t want to lose their
economic and military ties to the region. Britain believed if they allowed Pakistan to lose Kashmir,
the Muslims of the world would become enraged with Great Britain. In the scenario, it also was
detrimental for India to lose territory because Great Britain wanted to maintain their primary
position in the Commonwealth as a trade partner. At the time it was in the interest of Great Britain
for the Kashmir conflict to remain unresolved, thus the situation was prolonged to better serve
their political and economic interests.
Today the British Parliament is interested in finding a permanent solution to the dispute of
Kashmir between India and Pakistan. All political parties of the UK are united over the issue and
All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir. The group, headed by Lord Nazir Ahmed visited
Pakistan in February 2011. Britain would be more than happy to help facilitate the resolution of
the Kashmir issue. The United Kingdom is highly interested in the resolution of the Kashmir
dispute and has made it evident to both India and Pakistan that they would assist in the peace
process in any way they can.
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Russian Federation
In the early 2000s, Russia pledged unequivocal support to India over the Kashmir dispute. Russia
believes India’s restraint is very admirable but cautioned that military action is not the best option.
As of 2012, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated “India and Pakistan are capable of
settling issues through bilateral discussions without outside help”; ruling out any potential Russian
role in resolving the dispute.
Notably the Consul of the Russian Federation of Pakistan, Andrey V. Demidov, pledged Russia’s
commitment in resolving the Kashmir dispute if and when India and Pakistan request it of them.
Russia’s mediation intervention history in Indo-Pakistani relations date back to the 1966 Tashkent
Pact, where both Pakistan and India requested the former Soviet Union to help mediate the long-
standing border dispute. As of now, neither government has made such a request.
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China
China’s positions on the Kashmir issue have evolved over four distinct phases. In the 1950s, Beijing
upheld a neutral position on the Kashmir issue. The 1960s and 1970s saw China’s shift toward
public support of Pakistan’s views as Sino-Indian relations began deteriorating. By the early 1980s,
China and India began moving towards normalization of bilateral relations, and they returned to
a position of neutrality. China was caught between the need to satisfy Pakistan’s demand for
support as well as developing a better relationship with India. Finally, by the 1990s, China’s
position was that the Kashmir issue is solely a bilateral matter to be solved by India and Pakistan
through peaceful means.
Beijing is also interest in the evolving negotiations over Kashmir due to their own disarray as a
result of the 1963 Sino-Pakistani Border Agreement. India claims the Chinese controlled Aksai
Chin, 35,000 square kilometers of Ladaakh, Kashmir. A resolution of the Kashmir dispute between
New Delhi and Islamabad could re-open the sovereignty issues left in the 1963 Sino-Pakistani
border agreement. China has growing interest in seeing a stable South Asia and seeking better
relations with India. China is firmly grounded in the belief that the only realistic way to resolve the
Kashmir conflict is through peaceful negotiations between India and Pakistan.
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France
France is the only permanent member of the Security Council that doesn’t hold a substantial
history with the Kashmir dispute. France is highly in favor of dialogue between India and Pakistan
as they are the two countries involved are the only ones able to resolve this dispute. France tends
to be more focused on the risks of terrorism associated with the dispute. In September 2013,
France condemned the terrorist attack on India, which claimed 12 victims in the Kashmir state.
They reaffirmed their solidarity with India in their fight against terrorism. France is also deeply
concerned with the terrorist presence in Pakistan, especially over the potential of terrorist
possession of nuclear weapons in Pakistan. The dispute in Kashmir, according to the French
government, must be resolved by Pakistan and India that is the only way to ensure peace over the
resolution.
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Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s position on the Kashmir dispute is in support of Kashmiri’s right to self-
determination. Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s strongest supporters, and an even stronger
supporter of the Pakistani stance on the Kashmir conflict. As two of world’s leading Islamic states,
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sought to expand upon commercial, cultural, religious, political
and strategic relations. Despite their strong support of Pakistan in the dispute, the desert kingdom
has also endorsed the Indo-Pakistani peace process.
Although, Saudi Arabia rejected a seat on the on the United Nations Security Council, the country
still recognizes the impact of the Council on the world. They look forward to peace talks between
India and Pakistan but would always stand behind Pakistan in all their efforts to bring peace and
security to the Kashmir regions.
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Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia stands firmly behind the idea that the Kashmiri conflict is a
bilateral issue between Pakistan and India. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and trade
view the Kashmir dispute as a hindrance to normalization between the two neighboring countries.
The resolution of this dispute would guarantee peace between the two nations and put an end to
60 years of conflict and strife. Australia has placed India on the forefront of its international
partnerships. Their relationship has been categorized as a strategic partnership. Due to their close
ties with India, Australia would stand behind India in their effort to resolve the Kashmir conflict.
In an effort to subdue the tensions between Pakistan and India, Australian soldiers have served as
military observers along the cease-fire line known as the Line of Control, established by the UN.
Australia also sent over jurist Sir Owen Dixon, to act as a mediator between the two countries.
They even dabbled in the idea of sending a brigade to police the Kashmir region, to no avail.
Unless Pakistan and India resolves this issue amongst themselves, Kashmir would continue to be
an area of conflict.
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Bangladesh
Bangladesh has a very particular opinion about the Kashmir issue having been in the midst of
conflicts between India and Pakistan, and ultimately seceded from Pakistan in 1971. Bangladesh
believes secession is the best choice for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. Historically, while
under Pakistani rule, as East Pakistan Bengalis were faced with a campaign of mass murder, rape
and ethnic cleansing in the name of religious unity. After facing numerous problems caused by
military coups, instability and political assassinations, the people of Bangladesh rose up and
emerged as a nation with a future and the determination to succeed.
Kashmir is an ideal region to grant secession, they already possess autonomy in the Indian Union.
If the region is ready and willing to stand on its own, and put an end to the years of conflict that
have existed because of it; that region should be granted the right of secession. The right of
secession would allow Kashmir to reach its full potential as a state.
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India
The Kashmir dispute dates as far back as the partition of India in 1947. The republic of India
possesses a legitimate presence in the Kashmir region due to the Instrument of Accession signed
by Hari Singh. Due to the fighting between India and Pakistan the Simla Agreement was
implemented, creating the Line of Control. Both countries have participated in further
complicating the issue over Kashmir. However, India and Pakistan have participated in talks on
improving ties across the Kashmiri Line of Control.
India promises amnesty to those who participated in the violent protests of 2010. Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh sat down with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss Kashmir in
September. Both leaders promised to decrease tensions in Kashmir and push for “effective means”
of restoring a cease-fire in Kashmir. The long conflict between India and Pakistan has become a
major preoccupation of the security measures in both countries. As talks continue to progress, the
efficiency of those agreements have yet to be seen.
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Pakistan
Kashmir stands as Pakistan’s core dispute with India. India’s forcible occupation of Kashmir in
1947, is the cause of the dispute. Despite faulty claims of the signing of the Instrument of
Accession, India’s claim isn’t legitimized on any front. The UN doesn’t consider India’s claim over
the region as valid, Kashmir is recognized as disputed territory. The Kashmir region has a majority
Muslim population, it possesses geographic proximity with Pakistan and shares economic linkages
with the country as well. The nation of Pakistan upholds Kashmir’s right to self-determination in
accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
In the past year, talks between Pakistan and India concerning the Kashmir crisis have occurred. A
diffusion of military tensions in Kashmir is highly welcomed by the two states, but both face
significant obstacles in order to ensure random clashes won’t ensue. The Line of Control doesn’t
serve as an adequate border. The Muslim Kashmir Valley would remain as part of India Granting
self-determination, under UNSC resolution principles would ensure the satisfaction of all parties.
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Afghanistan
Many experts believe the wars in Afghanistan to be at some level proxy wars between India and
Pakistan caused by the conflict in Kashmir. Numerous Taliban fighters have either come from the
Kashmir region, or have spent time there during periods of conflict. As a result Pakistan has sought
to support the Taliban as they see them as potentially ‘strategic depth’ against India, that is to say,
it is to the benefit of Pakistan to have a ready and experienced fighting force ready for action
should the situation in Kashmir demand it. India has largely supported the enemies of the Taliban,
first the United Front (called the Northern Alliance in the West), and then the government of
Hamid Karzai. A rivalry is stewing between India and Pakistan over who will be the primary
influence in a post US withdrawal Afghanistan, some of which manifested in terrorist attacks on
Indian diplomats and road workers in the country. This growing concern can potentially have
grave repercussions for the security of the region, including in Kashmir.
Afghanistan strongly supports peace talks and an ultimate resolution of the dispute. Afghans
believe that if Kashmir were no longer an issue between India and Pakistan, that there is the
possibility the two nations could cooperate to aid Afghanistan and that Pakistan might cease its
support of the Taliban. While Afghanistan is not in a position to serve as a direct broker between
the two nations, any efforts at peace will be welcomed.
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