New Delhi: India’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, has said no significant outcome is expected from the closed-door meeting at the United Nations Security Council requested by Pakistan. Speaking to WION, he said, “No significant outcome is likely from such informal closed consultations.”

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It is important to know that Akbaruddin was the Indian ambassador to the UN when the last such closed-door meeting happened in 2019. The meeting happened at the request of Pakistan back then also, with China taking the initiative. The meeting was requested in the aftermath of the special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. 

“Pakistan’s initiative is a public diplomacy effort aimed at shaping perceptions rather than advancing negotiations,” the former ambassador explained on today’s meeting.

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Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the UNSC, a tenure that started from 1st January. The Pakistani foreign ministry, in a statement, said that the country will “formally apprise the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) of the latest developments in South Asia”, and also raise the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty being put into “abeyance” by the Indian side. 

The closed meeting takes place under the header “Threats to international peace and security” at 1.30 am IST. Ideally, issues can be raised at the consultative meetings or under “Any other business”. 

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In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had spoken to 9 out of 10 non-permanent members of UNSC and 4 of the 5 permanent members of the top UN body, briefing Delhi’s position on the issue of terrorism supported by Pakistan. These countries are France, Russia, US, UK, Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia. 

Last week, Greece, which holds the rotational presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of May, condemned the terror attack but said a meeting can happen. “If a request comes for meeting..it might happen sooner rather than later,” said Greece’s UN Envoy Evangelos Sekeris.