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India Mediation, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 21, 1948.

Fernand Van LengenhoveClick here for more on The Partition of India.

LAKE SUCCESS, Jan. 20 (AP) The Security Council created a three-nation mediation commission today to seek a settlement of the far-reaching conflicts between the neighbor dominions of India and Pakistan.

The vote for the commission was 9 to 0. Soviet, Russia and the Soviet Ukraine abstained.

Fernand Van Lengenhove of Belgium, Security Council president for this month, said he regarded creation of the mediation commission as the “first step” toward ending the Indian-Pakistan conflicts. He made the proposal after a week end of secret talks with the Indian and Pakistani delegates.

The resolution, to which both India and Pakistan agreed, represented a compromise.

SOVIET OBJECTION

Andrei A. Gromyko, Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister, favored a commission but said he must abstain from voting because the resolution permitted selection of the commission must be composed of three nations now on the Council if it would be a Council commission in reality and not “on paper.”

The Soviet Ukrainian delegate, Xassily Tarasenko, endorsed Gromkyo’s position.

In less than two hours and with little debate, the Council-

1-Approved creation of the three-member commission. One member will be picked by India, the second by Pakistan, and those two will choose a third.

2-Instructed the commission to go as soon as possible to the trouble area, now centered in the snow-bound Himalayan princely state of Kashmir.

3-Told the commission to exercise “any mediatory influence likely to smooth away difficulties”; to deal first with the fighting in Kashmir state; and finally to consider “other situations” set out by Pakistan “when the Security Council so directs.”

COMPROMISE.

The compromise thus met India’s demand for “urgent” measures to ward stopping armed hostilities in Kashmir. It also left open a way for the Council to consider Pakistan’s counter-charges that India has committed acts of aggression against Pakistan and charges of mass murder of Moslems in India.

Gopalaswami Ayyanger, Indian minister without portfolio, said India would not object if the Council wanted to deal later with the Pakistan charges but that India attached “great importance” to the urgency of stopping the fighting. India charged on January 1 that Pakistan is supporting tribesmen invading Kashmir.

Ayyanger said he would ask for instructions in India’s choice for the commission. Sir Mohammed Zafrullah Kahn, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, also was not prepared to name his country’s choice.

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