পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড).pdf/১১৩

85 ংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খন্ড Third, given chat the effects of this conflict- a conflict which began within Pakistan-have now extended beyond the borders of Pakistan and constitute a very real threat to international peace and security in Asia, will the Right Hon. Gentleman agree that the matter can no longer be regarded as one of purely internal concern within Pakistan? Will he consider raising it as a matter of urgency within the Security Council or within some other suitable international body? Sir Alec Douglas-Home: The answer to the Right Hon. Lady's question about more money being made available now is that we will certainly consider whether that should be done. We have had no direct request from the Indian Government, though there will be a meeting of the Indian consortium on 17th June. I would rather wait to see if there is an Indian request, as we anticipate, at that time. The Pakistan consortium on aid will meet before long. All the members of the consortium have made it clear to the Pakistan Government that there must be a proper political framework within which aid can be injected. The answer to the Right Hon. Lady's final point about this not being an internal matter for Pakistan or India any longer, and about it being raised at the Security Council, is that this must be an issue first for Pakistan or India, and neither proposes taking such action at present. Mr. Harold Wilson: Is the Right Hon. Gentleman aware that the whole House and, I believe, all our constituents throughout the country, regard this in terms of sheer scale as the worst human tragedy that the world has known since the war, apart from war itself? While certainly not at this stage wishing to approach this matter in anything of a censorious way, may I ask the Right Hon. Gentleman if he is aware that there is some feeling in the country that there seem to have been a lack of urgency over this matter? [HON. MEMBERS: "Nonsense." If hon. Gentlemen opposite insist on interrupting, I must repeat what I said, which is that there is a feeling that there has been rather too much concern with "protocolaire" questions rather than getting on with the job of getting aid through, Is the Foreign Secretary aware, for example, that it is several weeks since the Prime Minister asked me not to press him on a matter of urgency and importance and that the House has not had a report from him on that question in the weeks that have elapsed? The Right Hon. Gentleman is now talking about waiting, on an important aspect of this, until 17" June. Will he make urgent representations preferably here and now from the Government Dispatch Box, to the Leader of the House to discuss through the usual channels within a matter of hours whether the House can be given an opportunity to debate this urgent subject tomorrow? [HON. MEMBERS: "There will be a debate." I said that we should debate this urgent matter. The aid debate tomorrow will be constrictive in terms of all the various aspects that Hon. Members on both sides may wish to raise. It would be unfair if in a general aid debate most of the speeches were about Pakistan. Will the Right Hon. Gentleman therefore urge his Right Hon. Friend to rearrange the business of the House-we do not want the Government to lose time-to make a debate on