28011948 Text of the Speech made by Mr. Noel Baker (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 236 held on 28 January, 1948

 Text of the Speech made by Mr. Noel Baker (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 236 held on 28 January, 1948

If I have understood rightly what the President has just said in answer to the question put to him by the representative of the United States, it is the President's view-and I hope and trust that the parties will agree with this view-that it would be useful to him and to them to have a debate now in the Security Council on some or all of the points of substance which have arisen in the discussions between the President and the representative of India and Pakistan, the points of agreement, and the points of difference as set out in the papers which the two parties have given to the President. That debate, it is my conviction, would in fact help. the President and the two parties.

Then, if I understood the President, he thought it would be a good thing-and he expected that the parties would think so, too-for the President and the parties to continue negotiations in order to ascertain whether, in fact, what the members of the Security Council had said had made it easier to come to a greater measure of agreement, if not complete agreement, in the talks between the President and the two parties.

I have always hoped, as I said before, that the parties. taking part in these discussions would be regarded as a kind of sub-committee of the Security Council; and the President, acting as Rapporteur, would take full charge of the discussions and report to us. I am sure that is the right plan.

Then, if I understood the President, he wanted to set a time limit, or at least to say that we would not allow these talks to continue for an indefinite time without a definite result. In that view, I am sure the representative of India will agree with the President, as I do very warmly, I share his view that it is urgently important to bring an end to the fighting now going on in Kashmir.

I remember what the representative of India said in his first speech here [227th meeting] which I have before me. He said: "There is at this very moment a small war going on in Kashmir. Every day that passes brings in its wake added sorrow and suffering to the people of Kashmir. Furthermore" and this is much more important-"every day that the war is prolonged, the danger of the extension of the area of conflict grows."

That is what we have to get into our minds. If we do. follow the procedure as the President has now sketched it, I hope that we shall make it plain that we cannot let many days go by before the Security Council must take up the matter on a different footing, namely, on the basis of Article 37 of the Chapter, as suggested by the representative of the United States, in order that we may make definite recommendations for a settlement. This does not admit of long delay.

I hope that we shall so proceed and, if that is agreed by the Security Council, that we shall make observations on some of the points which have arisen. I, for my part, would be able to say a little more on what has been put forward by the parties this afternoon. I do not do it now, but prefer to wait until the question of procedure is quite clear.