Russia backs India on Kashmir issue

Russia has backed India's move on Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the changes in the status are within the framework of the Indian Constitution and hoped that the differences between India and Pakistan are resolved bilaterally on the basis of the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration.

India on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

"Moscow expects that India and Pakistan will not allow aggravation of the situation in the region due to the change by Delhi in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said in a response to questions on Friday.

"We proceed from fact that the changes associated with the change in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and its division into two union territories are carried out within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India," the ministry said.

"We hope that the parties involved will not allow a new aggravation of the situation in the region as a result of the decisions." Russia is a consistent supporter of the normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan.

"We hope that the differences between them will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999," it added.