Text of the Speech made by Mr. Fedorenko (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1241 held on 18 September 1965

Text of the Speech made by Mr. Fedorenko (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1241 held on 18 September 1965

Today the Security Council again meets in disquieting circumstances, when the armed conflict between India and Pakistan is continuing to spread and the situation is becoming increasingly menacing.

The hostilities between these two States, which began. in Kashmir, are spreading day by day, engulfing more. and more regions and involving increasing numbers of armed forces on both sides. Serious losses are being sustained, and not only by the armed forces: the peaceful population is being. sorely tried. Not only military zones but cities far inside the territory of India and Pakistan, including the capitals, are the targets of air raids.

The spread of the armed conflicts is aggravating the already tense situation in South and South-East Asia, created by the aggression of United States imperialism in Viet-Nam, and is still further increasing the threat to world peace.

It is quite obvious that such a turn of events is not at all in the interests of the peoples of India and Pakistan or the people of Asia as a whole. It is fraught with an ominous threat to international security and is doing great harm to the cause of world peace. It is all too evident that the armed conflict between India and Pakistan merely serves the purposes of the forces which are trying to disunity and set against each other the States that have liberated themselves from the colonial yoke. It is equally clear that the continuation of this conflict benefits only the forces which are pursuing the criminal policy of dividing peoples so as to achieve their imperialist and expansionist aims.

It is natural therefore that all who cherish the cause of peace should show legitimate concern about the tragic turn taken by relations between the two biggest Asian States, India and Pakistan, which were the initiators of the Bandung Conference. Concern about the armed conflict between India and Pakistan has been clearly expressed by the Governments of numerous countries. As we know, a number of statesmen have appealed for an immediate end to hostilities and a settlement of the Indo-Pakistan armed conflict by peaceful means.

The Security Council, fulfilling its great task as the United Nations organ with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, in its turn adopted resolutions 209 (1965) and 210 (1965) calling upon the warring factions to cease hostilities in the entire area of conflict immediately and promptly withdraw all armed personnel back to the positions held by them before 5 August 1965.

With this same end in view, as we know, the Secretary General made efforts in pursuance of the decisions of the Security Council. The results of these efforts are reflected in his reports [S/6683 and S/6686]. They testify to the extremely disturbing turn of events and the vital need for the Council to adopt immediate measures.

Hearing the thoughts expressed today in the Council about the steps taken by the Secretary-General in the course of his honourable and responsible mission, we see clearly that the Council must exert further effective efforts in order to bring about a decisive solution.

As we know, the reports indicate that the Secretary General, fulfilling the mandate entrusted to him by the Security Council, requested the Governments of India and Pakistan to order an unconditional cease-fire and cessation of all hostilities in the entire areas of the conflict. The positions of the warring factions are presented in the respective messages of the Governments of India and Pakistan. They speak for themselves.

The reply to this appeal received from the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Shastri, on 15 September 1965 and quoted in the report of the Secretary-General, states inter alia:

"I reaffirm my willingness, as communicated, to order a simple cease-fire and cessation of hostilities as proposed by you, as soon as you are able to confirm to me that the Government of Pakistan has agreed to do so as well." [See S/6683, para. 11.]

The report of the Secretary-General also quotes the reply from the President of Pakistan, Mr. Ayub Khan, received on 16 September 1965. The reply states as follows:

"While we are agreeable in principle to stop fighting... a cease-fire can be meaningful only if it is followed by such steps as would lead to a durable and honourable settlement in order to preclude the recurrence of a catastrophe such as now threatens the subcontinent. To bring about such a settlement, it would be necessary to evolve an effective machinery and procedure that would lead to a final settlement of the Kashmir dispute." [Ibid., para. 14.]

It should be particularly emphasised that the recognition of the need for an immediate end to the current armed conflict between India and Pakistan, the recognition of the extreme importance of this for the cause of peace, has been reflected in a whole series of international moves. The Security Council too made this point quite unequivocally in its decisions, which are extremely serious and must be implemented.

The Soviet Union, which has unwaveringly attached primary importance to the maintenance of world peace, has likewise expressed grave concern about the armed conflict between India and Pakistan. The leaders of the Soviet Union have repeatedly made it clear that we are far from indifferent to what is happening now between India and Pakistan.

It is a well known fact that we are bound to India by a friendship which by now has become traditional. The Soviet Union appreciates India's peace-loving foreign policy and devotion to the principles of peaceful coexistence and non-alignment, the principles of national freedom and friendly cooperation among peoples. And it may be appropriate here to recall that our country has done a good deal to help its friends in India to advance along the road of peace and progress and consolidation of the country's independence.

At the same time, we are in favour of the development of good-neighbourly relations with Pakistan too, since such relations are in the mutual interests of both our countries. The Soviet Union has therefore on many occasions noted with satisfaction that these endeavours of ours meet with understanding on the part of the Government of Pakistan.

All this explains why our concern about the current armed conflict between India and Pakistan represents above all the sincere and disinterested feelings of friends of the peoples of India and Pakistan and desire for peace to be restored between the two countries. At the same time, we cannot but note that the conflict arouses our concern also because the hostilities are taking place in a region immediately adjacent to the frontiers of the Soviet Union.

The attitude of the Soviet Union towards the question being considered by the Council is determined by the general lines of the peace-loving foreign policy of our country and by our profound conviction that when disputes arise between States-whatever their origin-they should be settled by peaceful means, by negotiations. There is no other possibility for the settlement of conflicts.

As was indicated in the messages sent by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR to the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan on 4 September 1965, [S/6685] the Soviet Government has expressed willingness to lend its good offices in this matter-provided of course that the parties so desire.

We venture to recall again that the Soviet Union is most anxious to see peace strengthened in that region. As you know the Soviet Government has called upon India and Pakistan to cease hostilities immediately and withdraw their respective troops to the positions held by them before the beginning of the conflict. And with that in mind, the Soviet Union support ted the decisions of the Security Council designed to achieve this aim. In present circumstances, attention must be focus on the need to implement the resolutions of the Security Council and on strict compliance with its decisions. It has become more clear than ever that the main task now is to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan and to put an end to the bloodshed. The deafening roar of guns and thunder of bombs are obstructing negotiations. Belligerent moods and heated passions are very dangerous counsellors of reason. In an atmosphere of armed conflict it is hardly possible to solve the problems which exist between the two States, and their solution is most desirable in the interests of good neighbourly relations between them.

It goes without saying that it is first and foremost the Governments of India and Pakistan themselves which can and must settle the present conflict. The Charter of the United Nations and the Bandung principles cry out for statesman-like wisdom on the part of the leaders of both countries and for restraint and good will..

At the same time, it is obvious that in the situation. brought about by the Indo-Pakistan conflict, much depends on other States too. Attempts to use this conflict in their own selfish interests, disregard for the fate of the innocent people who are being killed, and still more, incendiary and provocative statements could only aggravate the situation and help to fan the flames of the conflagration. Such conduct could bring with it the risk of further spreading the conflict and involving many States in it one after the other, with all the serious consequences this would entail.

The Soviet delegation feels it necessary to emphasise that in present circumstances the efforts of all States, including the members of the Security Council, should be concentrated on the main and most urgent task of ending the bloodshed and restoring peace between India and Pakistan. We see this as the direct and unfailing duty of the Security Council. If normal conditions could be restored, the parties would be able in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and the Bandung principles, to enter into negotiations on the subject of a peaceful settlement of the current disagreements.