Letter dated 12 March 1968 from the representative of India G. Parathasarthi to the President of the Security Council

 Letter dated 12 March 1968 from the representative of India G. Parathasarthi to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to refer to the letter dated 7 February 1968 [S/8388], from the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations. In this he not only misrepresents India's stand on India-Pakistan talks, but insists that India abandon its jurisdiction in one of its constituent States as a precondition to India-Pakistan talks. This is not the first time that a Pakistani representative has made such allegations and demands. It would suffice here to quote what the Foreign Minister of India, replying to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, told the United Nations General Assembly on 29 September 1966:

"The fact that India is prepared to discuss all differences with Pakistan in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Tashkent Declaration and to settle those differences by peaceful means in a spirit of good neighbourly relations does not mean and cannot mean that India must give up its stand in regard to the status of the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir.

"If each side were to insist on pre-conditions, would we not be entitled to say to Pakistan that it must first not only give up its point of view on Kashmir, put also, as a prior condition for talks, vacate two-fifths of the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir that it illegally occupied, and still occupies?"

India's position is clear. We are prepared to discuss and settle all our differences with Pakistan in a spirit of good neighborliness, without insisting on any pre-conditions. We hope Pakistan will adopt a similar cooperative and realistic approach.

I shall be grateful if this letter is circulated as a Security Council document.

(Signed) GOPALASWAMI PARTHASARATHI Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

(Source: UN Document No. S/8456).