26051948 Text of the Speech made by Mr. Lawford (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 304 held on 26 May, 1948

Text of the Speech made by Mr. Lawford (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 304 held on 26 May, 1948

While appreciating the force of the arguments which have just been used by the representative of Argentina, my delegation feels that if we wait as long as he suggests, we may be waiting forever and the Commission may never go out to Kashmir at all. We are strongly in favour of the Commission's now proceeding to India at the earliest opportunity though. We also agree with what I think was the President's suggestion that a preliminary meeting should be held here for convenience. We also agree with what I understand was the President's proposal that the Commission should deal with these additional questions, as well as the question of Kashmir, when it is in India.

We consider that the utmost care should be taken not to prejudice any further the chances of successful action by the Commission with regard to the settlement of the Kashmir dispute. In the circumstances, we consider it important that the Commission should not take action on these issues until it judges this to be appropriate, having in mind that its first objective should be to arrange, in cooperation with both parties, for measures to bring about a settlement in Kashmir. This does not mean that we should in any way minimise the importance with which these additional questions are regarded. by the delegation of Pakistan. On the contrary, we wish the Commission to deal with them as the President would suggest.

Above all, we want to ensure, by avoiding further delay, lengthy discussion, recrimination and counter-recrimination, that the time we have already spent here on these questions in our view, in the interests of India and Pakistan-should not prove, through the passage of still further time, to have been completely wasted.

The Commission may have a very difficult task, but if the representative of Argentina will allow me to say so, its members are eminent, distinguished and efficient men, and we are hopeful, in the United Kingdom, that once the Commission arrives in India, whatever the appearances may be now, it may finally be able to accomplish the just and lasting settlement which we all-and above all, I think-India and Pakistan have at heart.