Russian Ambassador Says Kashmir Issue Should Be Resolved Under Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration

ISLAMABAD (Monday) – Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert P. Khorev, has said that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral matter between Pakistan and India and should be resolved under the Shimla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration.

Speaking at a media briefing in Islamabad, the ambassador stressed that Russia does not want any direct conflict with NATO. He said Moscow is willing to reduce tensions through dialogue.

Russia’s View on Global Issues

Ambassador Khorev said that Russia respects the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense agreement and sees it as a positive step. He criticized the U.S. for trying to stop India from buying Russian oil, calling it a form of “colonial policy.” He added that independent nations have the right to decide their trade partners.

He also said that America’s refusal to release Afghanistan’s frozen $10 billion assets shows double standards. If the U.S. is serious about the war on terror, it should unfreeze those funds, he added.

Clarification on Poland Drone Claims

The ambassador rejected claims that Russian drones entered Polish airspace on September 10. He said the allegations were baseless, and Russia’s Ministry of Defense has already offered direct talks with Poland to clear the matter.

Russia-Ukraine Negotiations

Khorev revealed that President Vladimir Putin resumed direct negotiations with Ukraine in May. These talks led to prisoner exchanges and the return of more than 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers’ remains. However, Ukraine avoided discussion on a ceasefire.

He accused Ukraine of carrying out terrorist attacks in Russian regions, including blasts on railway bridges in Bryansk and Kursk. He also criticized the martial law and media restrictions in Ukraine, calling them “authoritarian measures.”

Russia’s Position at the UN

On the international stage, the ambassador said that Pakistan and several other nations supported Russia’s resolution at the United Nations condemning Nazism. However, he claimed that the UN Secretariat was showing bias under Western pressure in handling the Ukraine issue.

He added that during recent talks with the U.S., it was agreed that peace cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of the conflict, especially NATO’s role. But according to him, Ukraine and its European allies are trying to derail peace by seeking new military aid.