501.BC
Kashmir/10–948: Telegram
The Secretary of State
to the Acting Secretary of State
secret priority
Paris, October 8, 1948—10 p. m.
Delga 257. Following aide-mémoire handed Austin by Cadogan late
yesterday:
- “1. We understand that the UNCIP have now arrived at Geneva to write
an interim report. Since this report will then come
before the SC we are
anxious to obtain some advance indication of:—(a) the probable date when it will
be available; (b) the main points
which the commission contemplate including in it. Owing
to our lack of contact with the commission we have no
direct source of information.
- 2. In view of the present deadlock it seems important
that the report should contain some constructive
indications of the lines of which the commission
themselves would propose to make further progress.
Otherwise we fear that the whole question will be thrown
back upon the SC with a
repetition of the debates which preceded the resolution
of 21 April.
- 3. As regards the timetable we are particularly
anxious to know whether the report will be available
before or during the meeting of Commonwealth Prime
Ministers in London when there may conceivably be an
opportunity for some talk with the Indian and Pakistan
representatives on Kashmir. Such discussions, if
practicable, might be useful, without of course, in any
way affecting the functions of the SC or its commission. Pandit
Nehru will be here from about 6th to 25th October. We
hope that Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan will also be here and if
he cannot come owing to the responsibilities falling on
him consequent of Mr. Jinnah’s death, Sir M. Zafrullah
Khan will take his place.
- 4. We understand that the commission may be thinking
in terms of partition. We have hitherto believed that it
would be a mistake for the SC to abandon the relatively firm ground of
the proposal to have a plebiscite which has been
accepted in principle by both sides and which is
enshrined in the SC’s
resolution of 21 April, unless there is really solid
reason to think that India and Pakistan are ready to
agree on some alternative arrangement and one which
promises to provide permanent solution. We still think
that to abandon the agreed principle of a fair
plebiscite would be a most dangerous proceeding, unless
both sides are really agreed. On the other hand, we are
conscious that a plebiscite covering the whole state
would involve considerable administrative difficulties
and is open to the objection that, if the fate of the
whole state of Kashmir and Jammu is decided by
plebiscite as a single unit, either south-eastern
districts with a Hindu majority might go to Pakistan or
Poonch and Gilgit etc, might go to India. Our
information suggests that India might now be ready to
consider partition, although Pakistan appears to be
increasingly confident that a genuinely fair plebiscite
covering the whole state would go in their
favour.
- 5. In these circumstances, we would see some advantage
in the commission mentioning partition in their report
as a possible solution. But
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since straightforward partition
does not seem politically practicable this suggestion
could therefore best take the form of proposal that:
- 1.
- Certain areas in south-east of the state
should be conceded outright to India and certain
other areas should be conceded outright to
Pakistan;
- 2.
- Plebiscite conducted on lines suggested in
SC’s resolution of
21 April should be held in remainder of
state.
It seems essential to keep this resolution in the
foreground in this way, since it has the authority of
the SC and lays down
minimum conditions for the conduct of a fair plebiscite.
It also seems of great importance that the commission
should not attempt to define at this stage the areas
which under any partition should go to either India or
Pakistan, because this would make it difficult for
either side subsequently to accept less.
- 6. It is important that, if partition is to be
discussed, the initiative should come from the
commission. Any chance of progress would be seriously
prejudiced if the Indians and Pakistanis believed that
the UK Government had taken steps to promote a solution
of these lines.”
Air-pouched to Geneva and London.
