New York, Aug 16 (IANS): Russia on Friday hoped that India and Pakistan would settle their differences bilaterally through political and diplomatic means, as the UNSC was set to meet to discuss the Kashmir issue.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, in tweets said that Moscow is good friends and partners with both New Delhi and Islamabad and would help both to "come to terms and have good neighbourly relations".

"#Russia continues to consistently promote normalisation of #India- #Pakistan ties. We hope that existing divergences around #Kasmir will be settled bilaterally by political and diplomatic means only on the basis of Simla Agreement of 1972 and Lahore declaration of 1999, in accordance with UN Charter, relevant UN resolutions and bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan.

"We are friends and good partners with both #India and #Pakistan and both peoples. We have no hidden agenda. So we will open-heartedly continue to engage with Islamabad and New Delhi in order to help both of them come to terms and have good neighbourly relations #Kashmir," he posted.

His statement came as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dialled the US and other members of the Permanent Five, in order to present its case before the UNSC members before it meets to discuss the issue.

The UNSC is to hold a closed-doors meeting on Kashmir, despite Islamabad lobbying for a formal session in which it could present its case. The UNSC scheduled a closed-door consultation on "India/Pakistan" at the insistence of China, Pakistan's all-weather ally.