Kashmir

11.57.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th May 2006

A map of Kashmir

In today's dialogue I brought up the issue of Kashmir, which is obviously very important in both Pakistan and Indian politics and it is even an issue in Birmingham politics too. Kashmir was an issue not resolved by the British at partition in 1947 and they promised to come back to solve it soon - sixty years on we haven't! Kashmir is mainly Muslim but almost two-thirds of the area is in India, about a third in Pakistan and another bit in China.

A stunning view of Kashmir

My message today was quite clear. The Kashmiri people should have self-determination and be allowed to decide their own future status be that as part of one of the countries, a very autonomous area in one of the countries or an independent country. However before that referendum everyone involved (and I mean the countries) need to accept whatever the Kashmiri people vote for. I think the UK has a big part to play still and that may be helping to administer the referendum under the UN's supervision.

Happily I think everyone at the dialogue, including the other on the UK delegation agreed.