U.N. cease-fire call rejected by India

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32787, 11 December 1971, Page 1

U.N. cease-fire call rejected by India

<N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW DELHI, December 10. Mrs Indira Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, publicly rejected today the United Nations call for an immediate ceasefire in the India-Pakistan war and declared that India would “take all steps” to establish an independent Bangla Desh in East Pakistan.

“Although Pakistan is using all its military force to prevent the people of Bangla Desh from achieving freedom, nothing can deter us from driving the occupation forces out of the region and helping the Bangla Desh people to live in peace and prosperity,” she told a mass rally of tens of thousands of students assembled on the cricket field at Delhi University.

She said that despite criticism of India’s stand at the United Nations, “we shall never shirk our responsibility, and the enemy shall be crushed.”

“We shall take all steps to bring peace and liberate the people of Bangla Desh,” said Mrs Gandhi. "No power in the world can break the solidarity of the people of India in this great task.” The Prune Minister, speaking in Hindi, said: “India has never wanted war and has always tried to prevent war. “It is the Pakistani military rulers who are solely responsible for the unleashing of a bloody war on the subcontinent,” she said.

Pakistan agrees

Pakistan has accepted the General Assembly appeal for a cease-fire and withdrawal of troops, in a note to the Secretary-General (U Thant). The Pakistani Ambassador,

Mr Agha Shahi, handed over the reply, which said his Government was “willing to overlook” the inadequacies of the assembly resolution adopted on Tuesday evening. But Pakistan made it clear its acceptance was contingent on Indian agreement to end the fighting and withdraw its troops under the observation

and supervision of United Nations observers to be sent to the area.

No telex

Communications with Pakistan dwindled to a trickle tonight. No telex calls were being transmitted or received from any part of the country, an international telex spokesman said. Telephone calls also were suspended. Britain yesterday protested to India “in the strongest possible terms” over the attack in Karachi harbour on the British freighter Har-

mattan in which seven crewmen died, the Press Association reported from London. Other ships The Government also sought assurances that other British ships in Karachi would be allowed to leave without molestation. Mr Anthony Royle, a Junior Minister, had a 35-minute meeting at the Foreign Office with the Indian High Commissioner (Mr Apa Pant). He also deplored reports of Indian bombing of civilian targets in Karachi, where British subjects are known to live. ‘Deeply sorry’ Afterwards, Mr Pant said: “We are deeply sorry about the loss of British life.” He said that India would give “every assistance” if Britain wanted to evacuate her citizens from Dacca.