Galbraith Will See things For Himself
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, Sept. 8.-Mr. John Kenneth Galbraith, former U.S. Ambassador to India, and Harvard political economist whose name is a household word in the West. Is in India this week on a short stop-over en route to a conference in Japan. In a relaxed and expansive mood, this influential American allowed himself to be subjected to a brief but wideraning interview on his first evening in Delhi after many years.
A strong critic of the Nixon Administration on the Bangladesh issue. Mr. Galbraith, like Senator Kennedy before him, is here because. “It is easter to be a little more effective on such matters if one can say one has seen things for oneself”. He flies to Calcutta tomorrow to visit the refugee camps and will be back in capital on Sunday.
Mr. Galbraith was unwilling to comment on the Bangladesh issue until he had seen refugee camps. Nor would he be drawn out on the Nixon Administration’s policies. “I follow the Churchillian rule of never attacking one’s Government when one is out of the country and never ceasing to do so when at home.
He welcomed the Indo-Soviet treaty. “I do not see why any American should regret this affirmation of friendship between India and the Soviet Union. I am not a cold warrior. When I came here in 1961 (as Ambassador). I told President Kennedy there were better places to fight the cold war than India.”
Should the USA have signed a similar treaty with India in 1962 after the Chinese invasion, “there were various suggestions of this sort. I always resisted them. The much more important thing was a fundamental alliance of interests” Rushing into a teaty in 1962 may have caused both counties to regret it later. “Marty in haste and regret it”. But Prof. Galbraith does not see a parallel between the two situations.
Moscow warns Pindi against war
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, Sept. 9.—The Soviet Union was reported to have warned Pakistan against any misadventure like going to war against India.
This had been intimated to President Yahya Khan’s special emissary to Moscow. Mr. Sultan Mohammad Khan, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, who had suddenly cut short his visit and returned to Islamabad today.
The reason for his sudden departure from Moscow for home is said to be linked with his desire to convey the Soviet stand to his masters as early as possible.
The Soviet Union was reported to have deplored war threats coming from Pakistan.
Mr. Khan, during his talks with the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr. Gromyko, and his junior, Mr. Firyubin, had sought to explain the Pakistani stand vis-a-vis East Bengal (integrity of Pakistan, Indian “collusion and conspiracy,” etc) and the so-called measures for a political solution in East Bengal.
Diplomatic circles here say the Soviet Union had not been impressed by the Pak emissary’s explanations.
The fact that Mr. Khan had not been even given a reception at the Kremlin indicates the insignificance of Pak-Soviet discussions, held for the first time since the conclusion of Indo-Soviet treaty of August 9.
PTI reports from Moscow: Pravda in its “news briefs” today merely nientioned that Mr. Khan flew out to Karachi yesterday.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 10.9.1971