28101965 Text of the Speech made by Mr. Seydoux (France) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1249 held on 28 October 1965

Text of the Speech made by Mr. Seydoux (France) in the Security Council Meeting No. 1249 held on 28 October 1965

After the many communications which have been addressed to the Security Council by India and Pakistan during the last month, as also the Secretary-General's reports, the information given to us at the 1247th and 1248th meetings would confirm, if that were necessary, that the situation in the subcontinent is still extremely serious. The cease-fire is still precarious and only partially applied, while the withdrawal of the armed forces of both countries has been effected only in very limited areas, both in Kashmir and along the international border.

What is even more disturbing is the fact that during the past month there has not been the slightest sign or indication that any contacts will be initiated between the two parties, within the foreseeable future, in order to lay the foundations for a settlement of the question at issue. On the contrary, the crisis has continued to deteriorate and it is in fact this profound lack of agreement that is the most serious aspect of the situation.

The French delegation, which of course hopes that the debate will continue in the presence of both parties and in a calm atmosphere, considers that it would be advisable, in the circumstances, for the Security Council to make a final appeal to the Governments of India and Pakistan to comply fully with the resolution which it adopted unanimously in September 1965. We think that at the present stage it would be particularly useful if, after inviting them to end hostilities completely and, this time, definitively, the Council urged them to begin without delay the withdrawal of their forces of the positions which they held before the outbreak of hostilities.

Certainly, such operations are very delicate, as is clear from many examples in history. That is why I think that, in order that they may have the degree of precision which alone can make them applicable, the withdrawal plans should be drawn up, in cooperation with a representative of the Secretary General, by the responsible authorities of both countries at the very site of the hostilities. Only in this way would it be possible to arrange a phased withdrawal which would be appropriate to a military situation which is complicated both by the nature of the terrain and by the extent of the combat areas. It is certainly no easy task, but we are convinced that it can be carried out if both parties realise that their dispute can only be settled in an atmosphere of combination and if, for its part, the Security Council keeps before it the idea that its mission is, in the last analysis, to study possible measures to promote a settlement of the political problem, namely, the problem of Kashmir, which is at the root of this conflict.

I need hardly add that it is the most fervent hope of the Government and people of France that peace and co-operation will eventually be established between two great countries in which they take great interest and for which they have much friendship.