S/PV.246 Security Council

1 understood that the Chairman (lf the Working Committee would make an announcement postponing that meeting, in accordance \vith his statement. Mr. TARASEN:KO (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) (translatedfrom Russian): The meeting of the Atomic Energy. Commission will accordingly be held tomorrow afternoon at 2.30 p.m. DEUX 'TWO HUNDRED A.ND FORTY- SIXTH MEETING Held at Lake Success, New Lik, 'on Thursday, 12 February 1948, at 10.30' a.m. •. t.' , President: General McNAUGHTON (Canada). Present: The representatives of the followïng countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Syria, Ukrainian Soviet Social- ist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, l:Jnited Kingdom, United States of America. Président: ··Présents: Argentine, France, d"Ukraine, soviétiques, rique. '-t 15. , 15. Prôvisioilal agenda (document _.: " ',., S.fAgenda 246) . . ,: "1. 'Adoption of the agenda. 2. India-Pàkistan question: '(a) Letter dated 1 Januafy 1948 fromthe .: ~, representative of India addressed to the President of the Security Council coti.- . 'cerning the situation in Jammu and . Kashmir (document S/628).1 . (b) Letter dated 15 January 1948 from the Minister .for Foreign Affairs. of Pakistan addressed to' the Secretary-General con- cerning the 'situation in' Jammu and Kashmir (document S/646).2 (c) Letter dated 20 January 1948from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan addressed to the President of the Security poundl (document S/655).3 ' 1. 2. ',', ' 16. Adoption of the agenda The agenda· was adopted. 17. 17. Continuation of the discussion of the ,, loma-Pakistan question S l See OfficialRecords ofthe 3ecurfty Council, Third Year, upplement for Nover.aber 1948, pages 139-144. Troisième :mnée, à 2 Ibid., pages 67-87. , . As -the "President of the Security Council pre- siding over ihis debate, it came .tomy mind that 1 had a particular~y grave'responsibility to ensure that no such precedent whatever couid be created while 1 had the duty, whichgoes with the office of President, of maintaining. the Security Coun-. dl's prestige and authority. Therefore, 1 came to ~he conclusion that; despite my desire to inaintain impartiality' by abstaining from the vote, and 'without any inte})t to favour one side or the other, it would t;levertheless be necessary for me to vote ~gainst the' resolution. . l then listened to the wise words of the repre- sentative of the United States, cuIled from the depths. of bis long politicaland parliamentary experience. 1 felt that the solution of the question which was troubling us was not to be found in any resolution put to the vote and passed by majorities,great or smaIl; or worse, voted upon and left undecided by the distribution of votes, for and against, and of abstentions. T felt that what should be done was to iecàll to 'Our miilds the· fact that undet the 'Charter, and particularly having regard to Article 24, the Security Council must, at aIl ~imes, remain the master of its affairs; that the Security Council should not take any action whatever which would derogate from that position; and that, within this principle, it should be the, duty of its President, Our knowledge of the time required for the representative of India to joumey to. his country for consultationwithhis Govemment and to retum to the Security Council is. not of such precision tbat we can specify it to a day or an hour. Indeed, j do not think it would be right for the Security Council to attempt to legislate this, detail. It seems to me that we sbould say to the repre- sentativeof India: "Please take our message to your Govemm~nt. Tell them we are gravely anxious over thisquestion. Ask them for tbeir views and suggestions, and, baving armed your- self with this information, r.eturn to the .Seeurity Council as soon as you are able. Meanwhile, we shall say to you that, unless a grave emergency arises, the Security Council will direct its attention, for the time being, to aspects ofthe India-Pakistan question other than those relating to tbe situation iil thé State of Janimu and Kashmïr; and, with th~ help of the representative of Pakistan and the repre~entativesofIndia whom you leave in charge, in viewof the urgency of these other questions àIid disputes, we shall proceed with their con- sideration." Further, the Security' Council will hold itselfready to proceed with the consideration of the questions related to Jammu and Kashmir as soon as the representative of India retums with the information which is requisite for the develop- ment of a solution to that part of the case. . 1 believe the remarks which 1 hàvè' just made express the views of the members of the Security Co:uncil, and unless 1 hear objectionI shall take it that the Seculity Couneil is in agreement with this disposition of the procedural question. .Mr. TSIANG (China): After our meeting had ended yesterday, 1 made an offer to the President to .withdraw my resolution. Having heard the President's statement this morning, 1 am more t~an ever certain that 1 was right in making that offer.. His statement was both thoughtful and statesmanlike, and it has my fun support. ln the course of the brief speech which 1 made ~hen introducing my resolution at the last meet- mg, 1 stated it to be my conviction that the return to their country of the members of the Indian delegation was in the inte1J'st of that peaceful s~ttlement of tbe dispute which we ·all have in Vlew. If 1 understood aright, that is the point whichthe President made in bis statement. . With regard to our future work, 1 feel it pre- sumptuous, and tberefore unnecessary, for me to Mr. NOEL BAKER (United Kingdom): 1 am entirely of the view that the President of the Security Council was right in proposing that we should have no resolution, but 'should. accept his statement, and 1 have the utmost confidence that our Indian eolleagues will return to us as soon as they possibly can in order to further the work wbieh they hope, as we hope, will soon come to a successful conclusion. ' However, following the argument put to us by the President, 1 was a little doubtful-and Sir Alexander Cadogan sbares my doubt-as to whether the words .. grave emergency" used by mm really translated' the intention wbich he had in mind and wbich, 1 believe, the Security Council as a whole and the Indian delegation aIse have in mind. I believe that the words .. in the Security Council's discretion" would, perhaps, meet the case a little better, and in view of what was said by the leader of the Indian delegation yesterday, 1 feel certain that that would meet bis views. Since, as has been said, whatever is done here-even statement made by the President-may, up to point, constitute a precedent. it may, perhaps, he desirable that these words should be written in as well.

I accept the view expressec1 by the representative of the ,United Kingdom. tbink that 1 made it very clear in my statement that the Security Council must remain the complete master of its own procedure. Therefore, for the purpose of our argument here, the determination of what would be a grave emergency would necessarily rest in the discretion of the Security Council. Furthermore, having regard to the great importance we attach to giving the fuIlest and most comprehensive opportunity to the representative of India to obtain the information we now desire, the Security Couneil of course would take that under consideration, along with any other matters wbich may be befote it. There being no other speakers on this matter, l shall arrange the work of the Security Couneil in accordance with the statement which 1 have made. The Security Council will meet on 17 February to discuss the Indonesian case, and on 18 February, at 2.30 p.m., to take up consideration of the matter related to our discussion today. The meeting rose at 11.45 a.m. TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY- SEVENTH MEETING Held at Lake Success, New York, on Tuesday, 17 February 1948, at 10.30a.m. President: General McNAUGHTON (Canada). Present: The representatives of the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China,