30111962 Statement of the Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in Lok Sabha on proposed talks between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, on Nov. 30, 1962.

30111962 Statement of the Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in Lok Sabha on proposed talks between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, on Nov. 30, 1962.

Sir, as the House is aware, we have recently had visits from Mr. Duncan Sandys, Minister of Commonwealth Relations in the United Kingdom, and Mr. Averell Harriman, Assistant Secretary of State in the United State. We had long discussions with them about the Chinese invasion of India and our need for various kinds of equipment to meet this attack on our country. I am glad to say that these discussions were fruitful and we hope to get much of the equipment required from the United States and the United Kingdom as well as some other friendly countries. I am grateful to these countries for the help they are giving us in this crisis that we have to face.

In the course of my talks with Mr. Duncan Sandys and Mr. Harriman the question of our relations with Pakistan was raised. I told them that it had always been our policy to have friendly and cooperative relations with Pakistan because this seemed to us essential not only because of geography, but because our joint history, culture, language and the many bonds that had arisen between us during the long years. We had always aimed at that and we are sure that this is the only proper relationship that should subsist between two neighbouring countries and peoples which have had such close bonds in the past. The question of Kashmir was referred to and we explained to them our position in regard to it and pointed out that anything that involved an upset of the present arrangement would be very harmful to the people of Kashmir as well as to the future relations of India and Pakistan. We were, however, always ready to discuss this, as other matters, with representatives of the Pakistan Government at any level desired. In fact, we had suggested meetings at various levels in the course of the last few months, but no positive response had come from them.

Mr. Sandys and Mr. Harriman appreciated our position, but still suggested that a friendly discussion about these matters between India and Pakistan might [be helpful. I was agreeable to this, as indeed we have been ourselves suggesting some such meeting for sometime in the past. I explained to them again, however our basic principles and how it was not possible for us to bypass or ignore them.

Mr. Sandys thereafter went to Pakistan and came back yesterday after consultation with President Ayub Khan suggesting that a joint statement should be issued on behalf of both the Governments stating that a renewed effort should be made to resolve the outstanding differences so as to enable India and Pakistan to live side by side in peace and friendship, further stating that discussions should be started at an early date initially at the ministerial level and later at an appropriate stage directly between the Heads of Governments. We suggested some variations in the draft joint statement. These were largely agreed to. Ultimately, the following joint statement was issued on behalf of the Governments of India and Pakistan:

"The President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of India have agreed that a renewed effort should be made to resolve the outstanding differences between their two countries on Kashmir and other related matters, so as to enable India and Pakistan to live side by side in peace and friendship.

In consequence, they have decided to start discussions at an early date with the object of reaching an honourable and equitable settlement.

These will be conducted initially at the ministerial level. At the appropriate stage direct talks will be held between Mr. Nehru and President Ayub."