Text of the Speech made by the President Mr. Arthur J. Goldberg as representative of the de Wo United States of America in the Security Council Meeting No. 1241 held on 18 September 1965

Text of the Speech made by the President Mr. Arthur J. Goldberg as representative of the de Wo United States of America in the Security Council Meeting No. 1241 held on 18 September 1965

I should now like to make a statement in my capacity as representative of the United States of America.

The United States believes it crucial that the Security Council pursue urgently, with all the capability at its disposal, its efforts to secure an immediate and effective cease-fire between India and Pakistan and to restore peace in the sub continent. The Secretary-General has reported to us in full on his mission of peace. The United States commends the Secretary-General for his impartial efforts to give effect to the Council's resolutions and achieve an honourable settlement. My Government fully endorses his proposals to the parties and urges this Council, in the light of the seriousness of the situation, to proceed promptly to implement them.

We agree with the comment just made by the representative of the Netherlands, that time is of the very essence in this grave situation.

We regard the Security Council as the appropriate and the most effective agency to meet this crisis. We believe the Security Council must act, that it must act firmly, decisively and promptly. We trust that all peace-loving countries will fully support its efforts. and While we are meeting, in direct contradiction to our efforts, the Chinese Communists are pursuing a course clearly designed to aggravate further the already grave situation. The world is thus confronted with an increased threat to peace which can only be designed to increase tension and to I complicate the peace-making efforts of the United Nations, the Security Council and the Secretary-General.

If a cease-fire between India and Pakistan was necessary on 4 and 6 September when resolutions 209 (1965) and 210 (1965) were adopted, it is imperatively necessary today. And it is doubly necessary that our voices be raised firmly against any efforts to spread the conflict and exploit what is already a tragedy.

I most strongly urge that we proceed here with our task and join in calling on both Governments involved in the conflict to cease-fire immediately and to respond favourably to the Secretary-General's proposals in order that this threat to world peace may be ended before it involves more nations, more peoples, more suffering.

The Secretary-General, has also expressed the view to the two parties that the Council would wish to explore, "as a matter of urgency, methods for achieving enduring peace between India and Pakistan'' [S/6683, para. 6], and has noted that as late as November 1962 the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of India had agreed on the need for renewed efforts to resolve their outstanding differences. We agree with the Secretary-General that renewed efforts to resolve these differences should be made and that they can only be effective under conditions of peace.

The position of the United States in this matter is simple and forthright. We ate in full support of the United Nations activity in this area. We are in full support of resolutions 209 (1965) and 210 (1965) adopted by the Security Council and the efforts of the Secretary-General to give effect to these resolutions. And our full support of these resolutions is but a continuation of our consistent attitude on the India-Pakistan question, which has always been to support a peaceful solution of all aspects of the differences between them.

Since the birth of India and Pakistan as independent countries, my Government has developed relations, close and friendly, with both countries, relations which we sincerely want and hope and expect to continue. We have many ties of friendship and common interest with the peoples of both India and Pakistan. And these are expressed not only in our broad governmental programmer, but also in the form of many non governmental programmes and activities. particularly in the fields of health, education and economic development. And as I said in the Security Council a week ago, a Saturday, 4 September 1965, and I would like to repeat that statement:

"We know intimately from our close relations with both countries the intricacies of the underlying problem which is at the root of today's conflict..." [1237th meeting, para. 190].

Our attitude in the United Nations on the India-Pakistan question today, as in the past, continues to derive from the existence of this spirit of friendship with both countries and a deep interest in world peace. That is why we have shared the deep concern expressed by us, together with all members of the Council, in resolution 210 (1965), about extension of the fighting which adds immeasurably to the seriousness of the situation. The world community has a right to expect, in the wake of the Security Council resolutions twice adopted unanimously, that both parties cease hostilities and respect the Council's resolutions, which are even-handed resolutions between the parties.

These resolutions are based on a common conviction that a peaceful resolution of the differences between the two countries can be effected only in conditions of peace and not by continuing hostilities or violence. It is the overriding necessity of this very hour, in the face of truly disastrous consequences, for both of these great countries and for the whole world, to achieve a halt in the fighting. And this is why the Council requested the Secretary-General to exert every possible effort to give effect to resolutions 209 (1965), and 210 (1965), and this is precisely what the Secretary-General did on his mission of peace to the subcontinent.

The Secretary-General said, of India and Pakistan: "...it is not only the fate of the peoples of India and Pakistan which is at stake. Both States are linked in a peculiarly intricate way with the mainstream of world affairs." [1239th meeting, para. 17].

The threat to international peace and security is apparent and must be obvious both to the parties and to every member of this Council. The Council must act firmly and quickly, and all States truly dedicated to peace and security and to the Charter of the United Nations must heed its voice.