LAKE SUCCESS: The United Nations Security Council decided today [Dec 17] that its President, General Andrew McNaughton of Canada, should negotiate informally with India and Pakistan to find a mutually satisfactory way of dealing with the Kashmir problem. The suggestion for informal talks was put to the Council by Norway’s Dr Arne Sunde, after the report of the Chairman of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan.

Pakistan and India were invited to take their places at the table. Pakistan was represented by her Foreign Minister Chaudhri Zafrullah Khan and India by Mr Girja Shankar Bajpai. The Chairman of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan Senor Hernando Samper also took his place at the Council table. He opened the debate by putting his Commission’s report before the Council.

Senor Samper traced the efforts of the Commission during the last eight months to implement its resolution to prepare the ground for a plebiscite. He paid a tribute to the Governments of Pakistan and India for their co-operation in making the cease-fire effective.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2024