501.BC Kashmir/10–3149: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
3914. Fol msg from Bevin presented Secy by Brit Amb Oct. 20.
“I understand that there is a possibility that the Kashmir Comm in submitting their report to SC may abandon their arbitration proposal in favor of proposal for appointment of a conciliator. I think I shld tell you that I fear that a recommendation to the Council on these lines wld take us no further towards a solution of the Kashmir problem and wld indeed be a retrograde step. I hope therefore that the US Rep will be able to persuade the Comm to stand firm on their arbitration proposal and to commend it in their report to the Council.
2. From reports which we have recd from our High Commissioner in New Delhi, we feel sure that the Indian Govt now hope to persuade the SC to substitute partition on terms acceptable to them for settlement by plebiscite. For reasons which we have set out at length in recent msgs to the St Dept, we are sure that Pakistan will not agree to abandon the basis for settlement contained in the SC’s Res on 21st April 1948, nor do we consider that the Council wld be justified at this stage in calling on them to do so.
3. Both Govt’s are committed to settlement by plebiscite and to the arrangements for bringing about conditions in which a fair and impartial plebiscite can be held in the Comm’s two Res. They are also both committed to arbitration as a way of settling the differences of opinion at present standing in the way of a truce agreement. The SO are therefore tactically in a strong position to press modified arbitration proposals designed to meet objections raised by India to present proposals.
4. Apart from these considerations, however, there is the major consideration of the effect on Pakistan of abandonment of arbitration at this stage. As you know, the PriMin, like the Pres, has committed himself in support of arbitration as the best means of settling the present deadlock in his mesg to the Indian and Pakistan PriMins. If the Kashmir Comm and the SC now abandon arbitration it will inevitably be regarded by the Pakistan Govt as a surrender by the UK [Page 1760] and the US Govts to Indian pressure. The effect of this wld be particularly unfortunate as it wld coincide with Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan’s visit to Moscow.”