U.N.: SECURITY COUNCIL VOTES FOR TROOP WITHDRAWALS AS PART OF INDO-PAKISTAN CEASEFIRE: RESOLUTION "TOO WEAK" SAYS PAKISTAN AMBASSADOR

Record ID: 328809

  • Title: U.N.: SECURITY COUNCIL VOTES FOR TROOP WITHDRAWALS AS PART OF INDO-PAKISTAN CEASEFIRE: RESOLUTION "TOO WEAK" SAYS PAKISTAN AMBASSADOR
  • Date: 22nd December 1971
  • Summary: 1. GV INT. Security Council 0.05 2. MV President of Council (Sierra Leone) 0.13 3. SV Representatives of Burundi and China seated 0.18 4. SV President speaking 0.51 5. GV Council 0.54 6. SV ZOOM IN President speaking and voting in progress (2 shots) 1.41 7. GV Council 1.46 8. SV Pakistan representative speaking 2.26 TRANSCRIPT: SEQ.4: "It calls upon both sides to make the cessation of all hostilities, and provided for the withdrawal of all armed forces from the troubled zones. To this end, it stresses the need for a preservation of peace in the subcontinent. Lasting peace in the area is incapable of being achieved, unless the Geneva Convention of 1949 is effected and meticulously observed." SEQ. 6: "I am now putting to a vote the resolution, in the hope that it will be adopted unanimously. Those in favour please show their hands. Those against. Abstentions. Thank you. The results are, 13 in favour, none against, two abstentions. The resolution is therefore adopted." SEQ. 8: "Pakistan was subjected to open and unconcealed aggression. The council failed to prevent it. There was a blatant breach of the peace -- the council failed to suppress it. A war engulfed the sub-continent -- the council failed to put out the flames. An untold number of lives was lost -- the council did nothing to save them. Even at this stage, the council has succeeded in doing nothing more than adopt a resolution which is as weak as the situation is grave, and of manifold danger." Initials OS/152 OS/203 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th January 1972 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: UNITED NATIONS
  • Reuters ID: LVAF2C33KN60NC9FURNUS16EDG81
  • Story Text: The United Nations Security Council finally reached agreement early today (Wednesday) on a proposal for preserving the Indo-Pakistan ceasefire. The resolution -- the first in the deadlocked Security Council since the fighting started two weeks ago -- demanded troop withdrawals as soon as possible.

    Council President Ismael Byne Tailor-Kamara of Sierra Leone described the proposal immediately before calling for a vote:
    The two abstentions were the Soviet Union and Poland. Though India an Pakistan had agreed to the text, the delegates of both sides made it clear that they had different interpretations of the resolution. And Pakistani Ambassador Agha Shahi had some bitter things to say about the council's failure to act earlier in the crisis:
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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