Kashmir remark was taken out of context: UN

In apparent damage control, the United Nations has communicated to India that the remarks on Kashmir were not a statement made by the Secretary-General, but a "press guidance that was taken out of context."

Ban's chief spokesperson Martin Nesirky told PTI today that the remark on the situation in Kashmir valley was not a statement made by Ban but it was "information provided by the secretariat distributed by the spokespersons office." The remark has not gone down well with the Indian government.

The associate spokesperson, Farhan Haq, who originally sent the information by email to journalists told PTI that while this was not a statement made by Ban, "it was all generated by the UN."

Nesirky said the email was "media guidance taken out of context."

UN observers said the nature of the remarks, however, do not sound like a "press guidance", as the world body appeared to work out ways to defuse the controversy without completely disowning its remarks.

The controversial remarks in the email were as follows--"In relation to recent developments in Indian-administered Kashmir, the Secretary-General is concerned over the prevailing security situation there over the past month."

 "He calls on all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and address problems peacefully." The remarks in the email also touched on the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan.

"He (Ban) encourages both sides to rekindle the spirit of the composite dialogue, which was initiated in 2004 and had made encouraging progress on some important confidence building measures, and to make renewed efforts to address outstanding issues, including on Jammu and Kashmir," the email reads.