United Nations: To the surprise of diplomats, Pakistan raked up Kashmir issue during the debate on Iraq in the United Nations Security Council, but it evoked little response from the member states.

"I cannot but reiterate that the long-term stability in the region will also require among other things, durable elimination of political and military tensions between India and Pakistan through the final settlement of the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions," its Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said.

He was responding to the presentation made in the Council by American Secretary of State Colin Powell to impress on the members that Iraq is hiding its weapons of mass destruction and deceiving the weapons inspectors.

The interjection of Kashmir issue evoked little response from diplomats, who were keenly looking for response of various countries of Powell's 90-minute address interspersed with audio and video presentation.

But Pakistani sources say that the reference was in line with Islamabad's decision to mention Kashmir in every speech it gives in the Council.

Pakistan joined the 15-member UN Security Council as a non-permanent member on January 1 for a two-year term ending on December 31, 2004.

PTI