Roger Godsiff

Continuing Unrest in Kashmir

20 August 2008

Roger Godsiff today expressed great concern regarding the reportedly killing of 14 protesters in Bandipora about 40 miles north of Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. The demonstrations have been provoked when supporters of Kashmir integration into India began blocking the main highway in the State preventing Muslim traders from selling their goods and resulted in the Army imposing a curfew in the Kashmir valley for the first time in 13 years.
Said Roger "the attempt to invoke violence by blocking the main highway should be condemned as should be the loss of life which has resulted from it. Attempts to ferment communal violence is in nobody's interest and is to be deplored and illustrates once again that the only way that there will be lasting peace in a unified Kashmir is when the people of that State are allowed to determine their own future whether it be as an independent State or as part of another country."

Kashmir and the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Report

Commenting today on the report produced by the Foreign Affairs Select published on the 4th May concerning the UK’s relations with India Roger Godsiff, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Sparkbrook & Small Heath said:

“I welcome the increasing cooperation and good relations between the United Kingdom and India but the report produced by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee demonstrates a lack of the historical understanding of the Kashmir issue and I do not agree with its conclusions.

India, as the second largest country in the world, has established democratic structures which have operated for all but a few years during the 60 years of its independence and it has a powerful and legitimate claim for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. However they cannot expect to win support for such a seat while they are in breach of UN Resolutions calling for the Kashmir dispute to he resolved in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

So far as I am concerned no British Government, of whatever political complexion, should support the bid by India for a seat at the top table of the United Nations until such time as India has initiated a Resolution of the Kashmir dispute, not solely through bi-lateral discussions with Pakistan, but by engaging with the people of Kashmir who, in the final analysis, have the basic right to decide how they should be governed and who should govern them, Until the .Kashmir issue is resolved, in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir, there will never be the prospect of a lasting peace in that region of the world and it is very much in the interests of both Britain, and the international community, to recognize this.”

EDM 1524

FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE CONCLUSIONS ON RELATIONS WITH INDIA
21.05.2007

Godsiff, Roger
That this House notes the report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on South Asia, HC55, Session 2006-07, published on 4th May 2007, and in particular its conclusions on relations with India; acknowledges that good relations with India are welcome, but disagrees with the part of the report dealing with Kashmir; and believes that a lasting settlement of the Kashmir issue can only be achieved in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir and that India and Pakistan should not contemplate negotiating a bilateral settlement without ascertaining the views of Kashmiris on both sides of the line of control and involving their representation in any discussions.

EDM 1523

ENLARGEMENT OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
21.05.2007

Godsiff, Roger
That this House notes the recent report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and its support for India to have a seat on the Security Council as part of a wider enlargement; agrees that India, as the second largest country in the world, with long democratic traditions, has an excellent claim for a seat on the enlarged Security Council; and believes that any British Government, of whatever political complexion, should not support such a claim until India has resolved the long-standing Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir and in fulfilment of the outstanding UN Resolution on the issue of Kashmir.