A.- To bring about a more unbiased attitude-in relation to our problem.
Q. To bring about better relations with India, yes. Do you mean the recognition of Bangladesh?
A.- The recognition of Bangla desh will take time. But even without that, there are several postures which they adopt which do not give the impression of having an unbiased attitude when relations between India and Pakistan are concerned,
Q.- could you be specific; Mr. Singh? What are those things?
A.- For instance, they still continue to plug the unfounded story that India was responsible for this war. We had to defend ourselves, and the war started when President Yahya Khan ordered air raids on our territory on the evening of the 3rd. To continue to say that India is more responsible for this war is an attitude which, to say the least, is not fair, is not just, and is not based on fact.
Q. What about India’s future relations with China, the great neighbor just across the Himalayan Mountains?
A.- We have always desired that relations between India and China should normalize, and this will continue to be our policy. A great deal depends on the response that we have from China, but our policy will continue to be to improve our relations with China.
Q.- The Chinese appear terribly suspicious. At the United Nations, they said that the presence of Tibetan refugees in India might be used to justify an Indian operation against Tibet the way, they said, that the presence of refugees from East Bengal was used to justify military operations into East Pakistan. IIow do you feel about these accusations?
A.- In the first place, there is no parallel between the situation in Bangladesh and the situation in Tibet. In Bangla desh, the democratic wishes and aspirations of 75 million people were hlessly suppres military atrocities. In the case of Tibet. we have made the position clear that Tibet is part of China. And, as regards the refugees from Tibet who are with us, we have given refuge to them on humanitarian considerations, and we have never permitted them to indulge in any political activity. This suspicion, if it is genuine, is unfounded, and I don’t see why any parallel should be drawn between the two:
Q. There was great concern at the United Nations, Mr. Singh, quite apart from the moral side of the case-the treatment of the Bengalis by Pakistan-great concern that the use of arms to settle what is even an excruciating problem between nations might be repeated elsewhere, because there are other Bangla deshes in the world and other neighbors who are not-who are really at peace.
A.- I do not see any basis for any such fear. For one thing, there are not many Bangla deshes in other parts of the world. I can’t imagine such a vast number of people-75 million people-having expressed unmistakably what they want; then that they should be suppressed in a military, and in a ruthless, manner. I can’t see any parallel anywhere. There may be problems relating to the-to certain parts of or certain regions in other countries, but the case of Bangla desh is a case by itself, and I don’t think that there need be any fear in any other country that this can be repeated.
