11021948  Text of the Speech made by Mr. Lopez (Colombia) in the Security Council Meeting No. 245 held on 11 February, 1948

Text of the Speech made by Mr. Lopez (Colombia) in the Security Council Meeting No. 245 held on 11 February, 1948

In trying to be brief, I have omitted the two most relevant remarks that I had intended to make.

Firstly, we do not really have to decide upon the request, because we do not have the request for adjournment. When we started the discussion, the Indian delegation had already booked their passage to India. Notwithstanding all the very friendly and obliging requests that have been made by the Security Council, the Indian delegation have not so far agreed to stay here any longer, so that, really, we cannot say that they have made a request, but they have informed us of their determination to leave for India today. Therefore, I do not know if it would not be much better to inform the Indian delegation that we have taken due notice of their determination to go to India for consultation with their Government and their decision to have somebody else clothed with authority to represent them in the deliberation of the Security Council.

The second remark I wish to make is that, perhaps because we have not given him an opportunity-and I may be the most guilty-the Indian representative has not clarified this question in so far as he might find it advisable to do so in order to dissipate some of the doubts which I have expressed.

The representative of France made what I thought to be a very intelligent suggestion when he said he could not vote on the proposal before the Security Council until he knew whether or not the Indian delegation was going to remain for a few more days. I had already made a similar suggestion. However, I shall be content if the President agrees to my request that the Indian delegation be offered an opportunity, before the Security Council votes on the proposal, to provide some clarification of the various points which has been raised. on this

Finally, I wish to say that, after the remarks I made earlier today, my attention was called to the fact that the letter from the delegation of India does refer to the draft resolution submitted to the President last Sunday. Aside from that, my remarks stand.