Text of the Speech made by the President Mr. Roger Scydoux as representative of France in the Security Council Meeting No. 1116 held on 13 May 1964

Text of the Speech made by the President Mr. Roger Scydoux as representative of France in the Security Council Meeting No. 1116 held on 13 May 1964

On several occasions, and most recently on 14 February 1964 [1091st meeting], the French delegation has made known its views which have not changed-on the basic issue relating to Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of repeating these considerations, therefore, I think it will be more expedient to confine myself, as indeed most of the other speakers have done, to the developments that have taken place since the last session of the Security Council and to the prospects they appear to hold out for the future..A number of new facts deserve to be noted.

First of all, there is the remarkable and very fortunate fact that this time we are not meeting in an atmosphere of mourning and alarm like that created early in the year by the new outbreak of bloodshed in various parts of the subcontinent, beginning with Kashmir. Of course, it would be far from the truth to say that everyone is calm again. But at least it is a relief for the friends of India and Pakistan to see that good sense is now tending to prevail over passion.

In this connection, the meeting between two members of the Governments concerned and the discussions-considered useful by both sides which they have held are another encouraging sign. All the problems involved have probably not been tackled, and no definite conclusions have yet been drawn from this initial exchange of views; but contact has been established and it has been agreed that there will be further contact.

This is a step in the right direction. Lastly, for the French delegation, and for many others, one important development is the release of a leading figure in Kashmir who is now in a position to use his influence and personal authority to promote a better understanding, encourage the trend towards conciliation and perhaps clear the way towards a possible settlement of the dispute in his native country.

On the whole, the prospects are better today than they either side to wear a little while ago. My delegation considers that it is imperative that nothing should be done on jeopardise them either by resorting to violence or even by reverting to sterile polemics. It sincerely hopes that, taking advantage of the favourable aspects of the current situation, both parties will resume their talks without delay and endeavour to find a solution to the problem of Jammu and Kashmir by negotiation.

In the belief that such a solution would certainly play a decisive part in helping to re-establish good-neighbourly and friendly relations between India and Pakistan, my delegation would like to have the assurance that, despite the obstacles which will probably arise on the way, the negotiations will be conducted with a genuine desire to succeed and carried through right to the end.

It is no doubt with the same concern in mind that so many speakers, both yesterday and this afternoon, voiced the opinion that our Organisation, and more specifically the Secretary-General, to whom a fitting tribute has once again been paid, would have a part to play in such circumstances. The French delegation endorses it. It considers that it would be desirable for the Secretary-General to ensure that the Security Council is in a position to keep abreast of developments in a matter which is of concern to us all, that for this purpose he should be kept regularly informed by the two parties of the progress achieved or the difficulties encountered in the course of their bilateral negotiations, and that he should be able to offer them his assistance or advice, if necessary, so as to prevent the talks, once started, from being broken off again.

I assure the representatives of India and Pakistan that no country would be happier than my own at seeing a settlement of the differences that still divide these two great countries, and no country is more hopeful that they will succeed for the good of all the peoples involved and for the future of the civilization to which they have both fallen heir.