STATEMENT BY DR. BRUNO KREISKY, AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR
OCTOBER 27, 1971
Following is a report on the statement made in Vienna :
The Austrian Chancellor, Dr. Kreisky, said today (October 27) he would write or convey to President Yahya Khan his own views on the Bangladesh crisis which, he added, was extremely complicated and posed the danger of a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.
Dr. Kreisky told Indian journalists accompanying Mrs. Gandhi that it was the right of the Bangladesh refugees now in India to return with the gurantee of their safety”.
He admitted that a communication he had received from President Yahya Khan made a “controversial presentation of the problem”.
“The West Pakistan army in Bangla Desh is an occupation.force, it has no sanction other than its bayonets tanks and bombers,” they added.”We have, therefore, severed our connection with the fascist military dictatorship in Islamabad as our conscience no longer permitted us to act against our deepest convictions,” they said.
“We have, at the first step in our mision, sought political asylum in India, and have received it. We seek nothing more than to serve the cause of Bangla Desh.”
Referring to the victory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League in elections for Pakistan’s national assembly last December, the men said “the government of Bangla Desh derives its authority from the unambiguous mandate of the 75 million Bengali.” New Delhi, (AP)
Reference : The Indonesian Observer, 07.04.1971