UN Secy Gen spokesman defends Haq over Kashmir row

Betwa Sharma
United Nations, Aug 7 (PTI) An extraordinary attack on
the Indian media and defence of Pakistani-origin aide of UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon marked another round of the
raging row over Kashmir at the world body's headquarters here.
Ban's chief spokesperson Martin Nesirky defended his
colleague Farhan Haq, associate spokesman, who is in the
centre of the controversy, against attacks in the Indian press
that suggested Haq was responsible for the remarks concerning
the violence in Kashmir, which came out of the United Nations
on July 28.
Nesirky also slammed the Indian press for suggesting
Haq's "ethnicity" as a possible motivation for the remarks on
Kashmir, which New Delhi has strongly objected to. Haq is an
American citizen born in Washington DC with roots in Pakistan.
"I won't tolerate insults being directed against my
colleagues," a visibly agitated Nesirky told journalists at
the regular briefing at the UN.
"I really take exception to the insinuations based on
ethnicity that I've seen in Indian publications. I firmly
reject them," he said. "Not only are they offensive, they are
wrong."
The e-mail containing controversial remarks was
originally sent out by Haq to journalists of three Pakistani
publications who had been asking questions about Kashmir since
the unrest mounted after June 11 when a 17-year-old student
died after being hit by a teargas shell fired by police during
a protest.
The remarks noted that the Secretary General called on
"all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and address
problems peacefully" and he "encourages both sides to rekindle
the spirit of the composite dialogue".
Following protests by the Indian government, the UN
backtracked from the statement and described it as a "media
guidance" and not a "statement by the Secretary General."
(more) PTI