Indo-British accord on truce Keeping
LONDON, Dec. 23.—The Foreign Minister of Britain and India today agreed on the need to maintain the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and to settle all outstanding problems through negotiations.
He said India would want a peace settlement with West Pakistan based on realities-realities on the ground. And one reality was the emergence of Bangladesh as independent nation.
A Foreign Office spokesman said Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Mr. Swaran Singh reached the agreement on cease-fire maintenance after “a full exchange of views on the current situation in the Indian subcontinent.” The meeting lasted 45 minutes, report agencies.
Sir Alec emphasised the desire of the British Government to contribute as soon as may be necessary to the international relief and reconstruction effort that will be required.”
Mr. Swaran Singh stopped over in London on his way back to India from New York.
Addressing a news conference, he said. “I am sure that the British Government will start dealing with Bangladesh on a de facto basis once the realities of the situation are appreciated. But I think they will take their time in granting de jute recognition.”
India’s relations with the Soviet Union had been “friendly and close” during the war with Pakistan but be had no indication of any imminent Soviet recognition of Bangladesh. Our London Office says Russia has already moved towards virtuel recognition.
Britain has given de facto recognition to Bangladesh as the British Deputy High Commissioner in Dacca has been authorised to call on the members of the Bangladesh Government.
Poland has tacitly recognised Bangladesh by allowing defector Pakistani Ambassador in Warsaw to function as an envoy of Bangladesh.
Our London Office adds: The Indian troops would stay in Bangladesh until Pakistan dropped its claim on the territory and the International community recognised the new Government.
Mr. Swaran Singh and party cancelled their previous plan to return home via Moscow and are now going directly to Delhi.
The Minister said the Indian troops were staying in Bangladesh at the invitation of the new Government which India had recognised. But their stay would not be “a day longer than absolutely necessary.”
He hoped the Bangladesh Government would soon be able to establish its authority, thus enabling Indian troops to withdraw, according to BBC.
He said though the Indian Army had played its parts, the people of Bangladesh also had contributed their share, agencies add.
Mr. Bhutto was the leader of West Pakistan and had been able to secure not a single scat in East Bengal and Mr. Swaran Singh said, if he continued to insist that Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan, then he would be facing greater and greater complications.
On the other hand, he declared if Mr. Bhutto accepted implicitly, if not explicitly, the reality about Bangladesh. Then a settlement should not prove to be difficult.
“The postures the US Government adopted were based on a wrong appreciation of the situation. Mr. Swaran Singh hoped realities will dawn upon it,”
“The United States is not likely to persist in its attiude of biased approaches. If this changes, there are not likely to be vital differences between the United States and India.”
Many positive points were likely to bring the two countries together prepared to forget the (American) mistake and to cooperate for the good of the peoples of the subcontinent.”
Mr. Swaran Singh said India considered Jammu and Kashmir “integral parts of India”, and West Pakistan must take account of this.
“They are part of India and will remain part of India and we do not recognise any dispute (with Pakistan) over Jammu and Kashmir.”
The Foreign Minister will return to Delhi on December 25. He had gone to New York to lead the Indian delegation to the United Nations.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 24.12.1971