In US, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Criticises India

United Nations: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif criticised India in his address to the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday for withdrawing from planned peace talks last month.

Mr Sharif traveled to New Delhi in May for the inauguration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the country's prime minister. The two leaders agreed that their Foreign Secretaries will hold talks as part of a larger strategy to work on rebuilding bilateral ties.

But in August, India announced it was withdrawing from the planned talks in Islamabad because of plans by Pakistan to consult Kashmiri separatists ahead of the meeting.

"We were disappointed at the cancellation of the Foreign Secretary-level talks by India," Mr Sharif told the 193-member countries of the General Assembly. "The world community, too, rightly saw it as another missed opportunity," he said.

Mr Sharif also rejected adding new permanent seats in a reformed UN Security Council, saying the body should reflect the interests of all members and not the "ambitions of a few".

"We support a reform of the Security Council that would reflect the interests of all members' states - small, medium-sized and large - and not the ambitions of a few. There should be no new permanent seats in the Council. This will be contrary to the democratic character of this world body," he said.

India is among the growing voice of nations in the UN that have been demanding reform of the UN Security Council, including expansion in its permanent membership.

Mr Sharif has made improving relations with India a political priority despite the apparent reluctance of Pakistan's powerful military and security establishment. Pakistan, he said, wanted to resolve the problem "through negotiations."

Mr Modi, due to address the assembly on Saturday, has accused Pakistan of engaging in a "proxy war or terrorism" in Kashmir.