New York: India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Harish Parvathaneni, on Tuesday urged a review of outdated mediation frameworks established under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, while firmly rejecting Pakistan’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir during an Arria-formula meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Addressing the meeting titled “Bridging the Implementation Gap: UNSC Resolutions and Maintenance of International Peace and Security,” Parvathaneni highlighted the fundamental distinction between Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter and emphasized that their application depends on the nature of the situation being addressed.
He explained that Chapter VII is designed to enable concrete action in response to threats to peace, breaches of peace, and acts of aggression. According to the Indian envoy, failure to implement measures adopted under Chapter VII can lead to a rapid deterioration of security conditions and undermine the principles of multilateralism and international law.
Referring to Chapter VI, which deals with the peaceful settlement of disputes, Parvathaneni noted that it offers a range of mechanisms such as negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, and arbitration. These measures, he said, are formulated in response to prevailing circumstances and are not intended to remain permanently valid.
“Such interventions warrant review in accordance with changing circumstances and contexts,” he said, arguing that mediation frameworks must evolve to remain relevant and effective.
Citing the Palestine issue as an example, Parvathaneni observed that mediation efforts in that conflict have continually adapted to changing realities on the ground. He stressed that assuming the perpetual applicability of any Chapter VI mediation framework is both unrealistic and outdated.
The Indian representative also argued that as member states undertake reviews of United Nations General Assembly mandates under the UN80 framework to improve efficiency, Security Council mandates should likewise be subject to periodic review.
Responding to comments made by Pakistan’s representative during the meeting, Parvathaneni criticized what he described as an attempt to politicize the forum.
“It is incredible that a co-chair expected to be balanced and unbiased in conduct has chosen to politicize this forum,” he said.
Reaffirming India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, the envoy stated that the Union Territory is strictly an internal matter of India.
“The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a matter strictly internal to India. It always has been, is, and will remain so,” he said.
The Arria-formula meeting was convened to discuss the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and their role in maintaining international peace and security. Under the UN Charter, Chapter VI deals with the peaceful settlement of disputes, while Chapter VII authorizes actions in response to threats to peace, breaches of peace, and acts of aggression.