United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Volkan Bozkir said on Thursday that the UN’s inaction on the issue of Palestine is hurting its credibility.
Bozkir spoke on various issues, including Palestine, Kashmir and the coronavirus pandemic while delivering a lecture at the National Defense University in Islamabad.
Inaction on the issue of Palestine, which he recognised as a grave matter, “is damaging the credibility of the United Nations and the Security Council.”
The UNGA president expressed the hope that the Security Council will “vote unanimously on this important issue.”
“Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed as Israel committed blatant human rights violations,” Bozkir said. “Negotiations are urgently needed for a two-state resolution of the conflict. The UN General Assembly will not sit idly until peace is restored to the Middle East.”
He appreciated Pakistan’s role in resolving the conflict and said “we would not have achieved what we did had FMs not come in person.”
The UNGA president said that he is aware of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I have always urged the parties to refrain from changing the status of the disputed territory. I urge India and Pakistan to work for a peaceful solution to this problem,” he said, adding that peace, stability and prosperity hinges on the normalisation of relations between the two countries through the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
He also was all praise for Pakistan effort’s in bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan. “If we can solve the Afghan issue, it will have a wider impact on the region and the world.”
“What Pakistan is doing is absolutely essential,” he added.
Bozkir also praised Prime Minister Imran Khan and said “his charisma and efforts are vital for Pakistan’s progress and prosperity.”
He appreciated the tree plantation campaign launched by Prime Minister Imran and the way he tackled the Covid-19 pandemic.
