§ 53. Mr. Warbeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why he agreed to the discussion of the Kashmir question at the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation conference in Karachi.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerThe United Kingdom is only one of the Members of the South East Asia Treaty Organisation, and Her Majesty's Government have neither the power nor the desire to prevent any delegation from raising any matter which may seem to them relevant. My right hon. Friend maintained however that the South East Asia Treaty Organisation was an unsuitable forum for discussing the merits of the Kashmir disputes and there was in fact no discussion of them during the meeting. In affirming with his colleagues the need for an early settlement, my right hon. Friend was restating the attitude which we have consistently taken in the United Nations.