New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during the inauguration of International Roma Conference at New Delhi on Feb. 12, 2016. The conference was organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in collaboration with the Antar Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad. (Photo: IANS)
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) India on Friday completely rejected a statement by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) supporting the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their "legitimate right to self-determination".
"We completely reject all such references regarding matters internal to India, on which the OIC has no locus standi," the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
At the conclusion of its 13th summit in Istanbul on Friday, the OIC said in a joint statement that it "reaffirmed its principled support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their legitimate right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir".
It also said that Jammu and Kashmir was the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution was indispensable for bringing peace in South Asia.
"We note with utmost regret that the final communique adopted at the conclusion of the 13th Islamic Summit of the heads of state and government of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states held at Istanbul, Turkey on April 14-15 includes factually incorrect and misleading references pertaining to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India," the external affairs ministry statement said.
It also advised the OIC to refrain from making such references in the future.
