পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/১০৮

80 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ পাকিস্তানকে সাহায্য দান ও শরণার্থী ত্রাণ সামগ্রি | কমনস্ সভার কার্যবিবরণী ১৭ মে, ১৯৭১ সম্পর্কে পররাষ্ট্র সচিবের বিবৃতি ও এ সংক্রান্ত বিতর্ক PAKISTAN 2. Mr. Shore asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what relief supplies from the United Kingdom are now reaching the people of East Bengal; and whether the relief organizations there are able to supervise their distribution. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir AlecDouglas-Home): I would refer the Right Hon. Gentleman to the statement I made in the House on 11" May and to the speech of my Right Hon. Friend on the debate on 14th May.-IVol. 817. C. 206-213; Vol. 817, C. 761-767.] Mr. Shore: The Right Hon. Gentleman will recall that he submitted to U Thant that he should make further representations to the Pakistan Government about getting in an international team to assess the needs there. Has U Thant had any response from the Pakistan Government? Is the Right Hon. Gentleman aware that the exchange of letters, published on the 13th, indicates a deplorable lack of a sense of urgency on the part of the Pakistan. Government? Sir Alec Douglas-Home: I have stressed the urgency of this many times. The United Nations and the World Bank are now in touch with the Government of Pakistan. I cannot report anything fresh today, except to say that they are in touch and are, I think, seized of the urgency of the matter. Mr. Healey: Can the Secretary of State confirm or deny-I appreciate the difficulty of commenting on Press reports-reports that have appeared in the Press about the Pakistan Government having rejected U Thant's request that the United Nations should distribute aid in East Bengal? Have Her Majesty's Government made any representations on this matter, assuming that these reports are true? Sir Alec Douglas-Home: There are two distinct matters. There is the aid that might now be distributed, and in that respect the refugee camps in India are perhaps the first priority. There is then, later, the aid that may be needed if there is severe famine in Pakistan. For the present, the Pakistan Government say that the only distribution of food that may be needed in East Pakistan must be distributed by the army. As for a United Nations team or United Nations distribution, this is still being discussed between U Thant and representatives of the Pakistan Government. Mr. Healey: It is universally agreed-the Minister for Overseas Development accepted this on Friday-that there are 4 million people at this time in East Bengal suffering from the disasters caused by the floods last year and liable to die of famine unless stores which are