Pak Request To USSR
RAWALPINDI, Aug. 22, Pakistan has asked the Soviet Union to restrain India from giving support to the Mukti Bahini” in East Bengal, foreign office sources say, reports AP.
The request was mad during exchanges between Government officials including President Yahya Khan’s and the Soviet Ambassador, Mr. A. A. Odionov, last week, the source said yesterday.
The request made before a scheduled visit in September by Pakistan Foreign Secretary, Mr. S. M. Khan to Moscow indicated a strain in Pakistani-Soviet relations over the recent Indo-Soviet friendship treaty. This is over the clause which makes provision for cutting of assistance to any third nation attacking India or the Soviet Union, Pakistan has received limited amounts of military assistance from the Soviet Union.
According to the sources, the Soviet Union has told Pakistan the treaty was designed to maintain peace in the India-Pakistani subcontinent.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 23.8.1971