Oral Answers to Questions Debate
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Paul Williams
Main Page: Paul Williams (Labour - Stockton South)Department Debates - View all Paul Williams's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(5 years, 3 months ago)
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Hugh Gaffney (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) (Lab)
Dr Paul Williams (Stockton South) (Lab)
Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab)
Dominic Raab
The hon. Gentleman is right to talk not just about the theoretical nature of the dispute, but about what it means for communities in Kashmir. It is important that internationally recognised human rights are fully respected, and the way through the tensions is with a constructive political dialogue. The dispute between India and Pakistan in relation to Kashmir is fundamentally for them to resolve, as recognised in UN Security Council resolutions and the Simla agreement.
Dr Williams
The Kashmiri community in Stockton South are understandably concerned about the safety and human rights of the people of Kashmir. Does the Secretary of State believe that there is a role for the United Nations or other independent parties to monitor and report on the alleged human rights abuses to ensure that the Kashmiri people are protected?
Dominic Raab
The hon. Gentleman will know that there have been UN Security Council resolutions on the situation in Kashmir in the past and that this is something that the General Assembly has looked at. Fundamentally, though, the UN also recognises that the dispute over Kashmir between Pakistan and India is for them to resolve. The hon. Gentleman makes the point—as others will and have—that there are internationally recognised human rights at stake. They are duties owed to the international community at large, and we will certainly be scrutinising the situation carefully to see that those rights are respected.