Bhutto fails to impress Moscow
MOSCOW, DEC. 23.—The initial impact of the Pakistan President, Mr. Zulfiqor Ali Bhutto in Moscow was negative judged from the manner of reporting of his first steps in office, says PTI
The impression conveyed by the information media here was that he was set just as firmly against the independence of Bangladesh as Yahya Khan while at the same time he was throwing all the blame for the crisis on the former President.
The papers also reported Mr. Bhutto’s promise of “revenge” to put right a temporary humiliation a word which has unsavory connotation in Soviet usage.
Another development which was mentioned casually was the transfer to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from prison to house arrest.
However, knowledgeable sources said it was still the Soviet belief that the realities would compel Mr. Bhutto to adopt a pragmatic attitude towards Bangladesh as well as India.
Meanwhile, the reported statement of the Bangladesh Prime Minister. Mr. Tajuddin Ahmedn that he was broadening his Government to include representatives of all parties in the liberation movement was printed by “Pravda” today among items indicating a speedy return of administration and normalcy in Bangladesh.
Obviously the prospect of a broader-based Government is viewed as a healthy development towards unity of all democratic and left forces which Soviet ideologues have advocated as a condition for the successful resolution of the socio-economic problems in developing countries.
Meanwhile, the official Soviet statements continue to refer to “East Pakistan”— but observers here have noted a switch to Bangladesh in the Press and on television.
In the absence of Soviet recognition of the Bangladesh Government, the territory remains “East Pakistan”—the name used throughout the Foreign Minster. Mr. Andrel Gromyko’s statement of December 17.
However, in the past few days, Press and television commentaries have begun to refer to the people of East Bengal or less frequently, Bangladesh.
The most marked switch came last night when the television commentator, Mr. Spartak Begiov spoke of the “people of what was formerly East Pakistan.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard 24.12.1971