| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| ‘নিউইয়র্ক টাইমস’-এর সাথে পররাষ্টমন্ত্রী শরণ সিংহের সাক্ষাৎকার | ‘দি নিউইয়র্ক টাইমস’ | ১৩ ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৭১ |
FOREIGN MINISTER SARDAR SWARAN SINGH’S INTERVIEW TO
THE NEW YOUR TIMES
December 12 1971
The foreign minister of India said in an interview today (December 12) that his Government had no territorial designs in East Pakistan and did not want to destroy Pakistan. Swarna singh, a tall bearded man wearing a white turban and a Nchru jacket, also said that India would never in any way be subservient to the Soviet Union or any other foreign power. He added that India hoped to have normal relation with China.
Mr. Swaran singh, answering questions in his suite at the Carlyle Hotel, was asked whether he thought that the breakaway of East Pakistan as the independent nation of Bangladesh could threaten the existence of Pakistan. He replied:
“I would not call this a breakaway of East Pakistan. Geographically, the two units are more than 1,000 miles apart; ethnically and linguistically, they are different altogether. I do not see why West Pakistan should have any fear of apprehension, if, in the assertion of their right of self determination, the people of Bangladesh succeed in achieving independence for Bangladesh”.
Act of self-denial
“We are not out to destroy Pakistan. The leadership that agreed to the partition of India in 1974 is still living”.
Mr. Swaran Sing added that when India decided to recognize the Government of Bangladesh “We made a clear announcement of India’s intention not to have any territorial designs against the territory of Bangladesh”.
“It was an act of self-denial”, he said. “We did not want to get there as an army of occupation or having any territorial designs on Bangla Desh”.
Mr. Swaran Singh spoke a few moments before the White House, in issuing a call for a new security Council meeting, declared that the War on the subcontinent was taking on the character of an armed attack on “the very existence” of Pakistan.
He was asked for his reaction to charges made by the Chinese representative in the security council that the Soviet Union was using India as a tool in a plan to encircle China, and whether he thought that there was a threat of Chinese intervention if East Pakistan became independent.
