Text of the Speech made by Lord Caradon (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1248 held on 27 October 1965

Text of the Speech made by Lord Caradon (United Kingdom) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1248 held on 27 October 1965

For a number of reasons I greatly regret that I was unable to be present at the 1247th meeting of this council on Monday.

I was particularly sorry not to be here to be able to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the assumption of your duties as President of this Council. My congratulations are no less sincere because they are late. From what I hear, there may have been moments in Monday's debate when perhaps you may have felt some doubts about the advantages and privileges which appertain to your high office, but I wish sincerely to assure you of our warm regard for your long record of public service and our great respect for your authority.

I have, of course, made it my business to study very carefully the record of the meeting and as I did so, there was one main conclusion which formed and developed in my mind. I wish to speak very shortly on that one proposition. It is that we must surely continue to concentrate all our attention at this time on the immediate target of progress towards the full re-establishment of peace in the great sub continent which has been so torn by dangerous conflict. That is the primary task of this Council.

I do not for a moment wish to suggest that the questions of authorization which were raised at the end of that meeting are unimportant. The frustration of the General Assembly during its nineteenth session provides sufficient evidence that they are indeed of great consequence. They must be considered, and, we trust, satisfactorily settled, if the United Nations is to carry out its responsibilities in the future.

But while I do not doubt the importance of those constitutional and financial questions, I put it to this Council that our immediate task and the task on which we should concentrate all our effort at this time is the task of taking every possible action to render effective the cease-fire between India and Pakistan which this Council demanded, together with the withdrawal of all armed personnel. If we lose sight of those immediate aims we shall have failed. We shall fail to maintain. the momentum of success which our previous resolutions initiated. We shall fail in our duty to all concerned to show that we are seriously determined to carry out the provisions of the resolutions we passed. Everything will depend on whether we now take effective action to win and maintain a secure peace.

I do most earnestly urge upon the Council that, whatever else we do, we must facilitate and accelerate the withdrawal which we demanded. For, as long as the withdrawal is delayed, the daily dangers of further violations of the cease-fire will continue. The hope of progress towards a peaceful settlement will recede. The situation might easily deteriorate into renewed confusion and conflict and catastrophe.

Moreover, while we have ample evidence of the intensity of feeling in India and Pakistan arising from the events of the past few months, it has been encouraging to realise that on the necessity for a cease-fire and withdrawal there has already been a measure of agreement between the Governments of India and Pakistan. On this issue at least there appears to be good reason to hope for agreement and for effective action.

We welcomed and endorsed the efforts which the Secretary-General has so persistently made to achieve this aim. I was glad that the spokesman for may delegation immediately made it plain that in our opinion the Secretary-General has throughout acted in complete accord with the clear mandate given to him by this Council. Particularly we commend his consistent endeavour to make the cease-fire effective and to proceed with the withdrawal. We especially welcomed the proposal to appoint an officer to meet the military representatives of each side to seek urgent agreement on a practical plan for withdrawal.

Last month we rejoiced when, in a series of four resolutions, this Council acted with such commendable confidence and speed and in a spirit of such full agreement and cooperation. As a result of that successful action, the dangers were at once effectively reduced. But they have not been removed. Violation of the cease-fire and failure to withdraw threaten renewed conflict and renewed bloodshed. They could even lead to a resumption of full-scale hostilities, with all the terrible consequences which could then ensue.

I greatly hope that this Council will now rise to the level of its high responsibilities. I trust that the Council will concentrate on the action which is immediately required. I trust that we shall show that we meant what we said when we passed resolution 211 (1965). The cease-fire and complete withdrawal are in effect the only door to a sound settlement. I trust that we shall now open that door leading to a permanent and just and honourable peace.