09061948 Letter dated 9 June 1948 from the President of the Security Council to the Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs of the Government of India (S/AC.12/2)

09061948 Letter dated 9 June 1948 from the President of the Security Council to the Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs of the Government of India (S/AC.12/2)

Lake Success, 9 June 1948

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your message concerning the India-Pakistan question, communicated to me in the letter dated 5 June 1948 from the representative of India to the United Nations. This message was circulated to representatives on the Security Council and discussed at its 315th meeting held on 8 June 1948.

In accordance with the views expressed at that meeting, I wish to explain that the Council has taken no position on the merits of the matters raised in the letter dated 15 January 1948 from the Foreign Minister of Pakistan and maintains an open mind on these questions.

The resolution of 3 June 1948 only instructs the Commission of Mediation to gather further information, when it deems appropriate. It preserves the order of the Commission's work outlined in paragraph D of the resolution of 20 January 1948, which places the situation in Jammu and Kashmir before the other situations set out in the letter dated 15 January 1948 from the Foreign Minister of Pakistan.

Furthermore, the resolution of 3 June 1948 directs the Commission to seek to accomplish in priority the duties assigned to it by the resolution of 21 April 1948, which relates to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

I have forwarded your message to the Commission of Mediation and asked them to communicate directly with you as regards your request for advance information on the points on which they wish to confer with your Government.

I wish to assure you that in its consideration of these questions the Security Council has been animated only by the desire to achieve a peaceful settlement and promote friendly relations between the Governments concerned.

(Signed) Faris El-Khouri President of the Security Council