পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/৯১৩

88.1 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড before the treaty was sprung upon the world most West Europeans tended to regard India as being in the Soviet camp but the treaty served to remove the lingering doubts in their minds about India's non-aligned posture. With both China and the USA ranged on Islamabad's side. West European chancelleries have become models of eaution. This picture implies that during her visit to the West Mrs. Gandhi will be offered tea and sympathy and perhaps a little help for the refugees but not much more. British and French officials have been vying with one another in praising Mrs. Gandhi's restraint in the face of the temptations of an Indian military intervention in East Bengal but such praise will be cold comfort to her. Her visit to West European capitals can only confirm the fact that India will have to bear the brunt of the refugee problem that New Delhi will receive little help in pulling its chestnuts out of the fire. It is indeed on the diplomatic from that Mrs. Gandhi's projected tour will stand or fall. In spite of the Pakistan military ruler's actions in East Bengal the world's nation States will not judge them by a moral yardstick but by their own national interests. And Pakistan has almost succeeded in converting an indefensible position into something of a diplomatic victory, Seeming Anxiety Pakistan's enthusiastic endorsement of the proposal to station U.N. observers on both sides of the East Bengal border gave Islamabad's stand an appearance of seeming anxiety to seek the return of the refugees from India. And President Yahya has cleverly made Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan a scapegoat (for the benefit of the Western world) for all the blood that has been willfully spilled in East Bengal. He has now capped the symbolic act of the appointment of a civilian Governor with the announcement of an amnesty. All these acts serve a diplomatic purpose. They are meant to achieve two objectives to persuade the Aid to Pakistan consortium to turn on the tap again and to try to wash away the sins of East Bengal before the opening of the U.N. General Assembly session. Judging by the reaction President Yahya's recent moves have had in the West Pakistan stands a fair chance of achieving these objectives in a measure. Partly, the likely success of Pakistan's strategy will be helped by the West's desire to believe that President Yahya has at last chosen the right path. Few in the West will stop to ask what difference a civilian. Governor will make in East Pakistan's circumstances with the military authorities continuing to maintain their iron grips. Nor will many pay much attention to the fact that the refugees cannot return home on the strength of a paper promise with conditions as they are in East Bengal. Western interest in having U. N. observers on the Indian side of the border is primarily to discourage Indian help for the Bangladesh guerrillas. This help is not sufficient to till the balance in the guerrillas favor but it is sufficient to implicate India in the eves of many countries. More Credible Mrs. Gandhi will discover during her European sojourn that although India has been a victim of circumstances she is having to fight a rearguard action. Partly this must be