UN chief appeals for restraint in Kashmir Valley

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate end to violence in Kashmir and appealed for restraint by all parties, his spokesperson said today.

"The secretary-general regrets the latest loss of life. He (Ban) calls for an immediate end to violence and urges calm and restraint by all concerned," Martin Nesirky told journalists, adding that Ban was "closely following events".

The Kashmir Valley remains under a relaxed curfew after months of persistent clashes between demonstrators and security personnel, which have claimed more than 100 lives.

The statement comes almost a month after UN sent out an email, which said that Ban called on "all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and address problems peacefully" and he "encourages both sides to rekindle the spirit of the composite dialogue".

Following protests by the Indian government, the UN withdrew the remarks and described it as "media guidance" and not a "statement by the secretary-general".