পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৫৮৫

বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড the unrealistic accusations that have appeared of foreign governmental intervention in Pakistan's internal affairs, with the main charges being directed at India. Now if there is one thing the Indian central government does not want, it is to get involved directly in the tragedy of East Bengal. Mrs. Gandhi's new government has too many problems of its own to need to look for additional ones on the other side of India's frontiers. Of course a distinct line must be drawn here between official Government policy on the one hand, and on the other, natural human sympathy for widespread human sufferings by people of their own kind on their doorstep. Even members of the central government, Mrs. Gandhi herself, and particularly Mr. Swaran Singh, the External Affairs Minister, have spoken out strongly. But that is a very different matter from actually intervening in Pakistani actions. It should be obvious to anyone that Indian's best interests lie in a peaceful Pakistan, with its two wings co-operating normally. This goes, too. for the Western powers. The British government's reaction has been very muted so far. The Foreign Secretary has leant over backwards in the House of Commons to make it plain. Britain accepts that the present tragedy is essentially an internal affair of Pakistan while expressing hopes of reconciliation. In any case to intervene in any way on behalf of East Bengali nationalism would not make sense. How could it possibly help the Bengalis? How could Britain benefit from it? In elementary humanitarian terms, in economic terms, in any way conceivable, it is obvious that a peaceful united Pakistan is in Britain's as well as the world's interest. The time for recriminations is over. Britain, like the Indian Government, wants to see an end of the military action and the resumption of some kind of dialogue between Pakistan's military rulers and the representatives of the people of East Ban gal, whoever they may in the end turn out to be. زبان HOME ON PAKISTAN 11" May 1971 by Andrew Walker The British Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas Home, has expressed the hope that the Pakistan government will allow a team of international experts to see what relief is needed in East Pakistan. Here is Andrew Walker, BBC Commonwealth Correspondent. Sir Alec was speaking in Parliament, and the questions which followed his statement showed the concern felt by members of all parties over what one of them called a human tragedy which has few precedents in recent history. He said he and the American Secretary of State, Mr. Rogers, had sent a joint message to the United Nations Secretary General U Thant suggesting that he should renew his offer of international aid. U Thant was in touch with the Pakistan government and (Sir Alec went on) I hope they will be