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Statement by the President on the Cease-Fire Agreements by India and Pakistan.

September 22, 1965

I SPEAK for every American when I commend the statesmanship and restraint shown by the leaders of Pakistan and India in their acceptance of the cease-fire call of the United Nations Security Council. The leadership shown in both nations thus takes us a long step away from the terrible dangers which have threatened the subcontinent of Asia.

On behalf of the American people, I want to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to Secretary General U Thant for his fairness and firmness in the service of peace in these last weeks. I am especially proud of our own gifted Ambassador Arthur Goldberg and members of his new U.N. team. As President of the Security Council he has given his able and untiring support to the efforts of the Secretary General.

We now hope that both nations, in the spirit of the Security Council resolution, will move forward to peaceful settlement of their outstanding differences. The job of the U.N. has just begun. We will fully support it every step of the way by our actions and our words.

Note: The statement was read by Bill D. Moyers, Special Assistant to the President, at his news conference at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 22, 1965, in his office at the White House. It was not made public in the form of a White House press release.

The long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir led in August 1965 to increasing violations of the 1949 Kashmir Cease-Fire Line--crossing of armed personnel from Pakistan into Indian-held Kashmir, Indian retaliation against the other side of the line--and the conflict escalated in September into 3 weeks of open warfare in Kashmir and the Punjab. Working through the U.N. Security Council, the United States and other powers sought a cease-fire. U.S. Ambassador Goldberg, who was President of the Security Council, played an important role in ensuing diplomatic efforts, and U.N. Secretary General U Thant himself went to the subcontinent on a peace mission which resulted in the cease-fire of September 22.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Statement by the President on the Cease-Fire Agreements by India and Pakistan. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/240465

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