Major diplomatic moves to end war

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32788, 13 December 1971, Page 1

Major diplomatic moves to end war

<N.Z.P.A.-Heuter— Copyright)

LONDON, December 12. Pakistan today reported that major diplomatic moves were under way to end the India-Pakistan war—raising peace hopes again after United Nations efforts to arrange a cease-fire reached total stalemate.

A Government spokesman in Rawalpindi declined to go into details, but said the new moves were outside the United Nations framework and in keeping with the protection of Pakistan’s interests.

There was immediate speculation that President Yahya Khan’s Government was approaching China with a request to help bring the hostilities to an end, and also to offset a high-level Soviet mission now going to New Delhi.

China has already taken a firm stand in support of Pakistan.

The fresh initiative was disclosed by the Rawalpindi spokesman at a press conference last night and reaffirmed by Radio Pakistan today. The radio quoted the spokesman as saying Pakistan had invoked understandings and arrangements with

other countries to meet the situation created by India's naked aggression. The broadcast did not name. any countries. The spokesman, when asked whether Pakistan had sought the assistance of any of its allies in various pacts, said “We will use and mobilise all the support we can get.” Pakistan belongs to the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation, but the official noted that it has not been an active member for some years. The Central Treaty Organisation, the other pact of which it is a member, was not mentioned.

At the United Nations, diplomats said today there was a stalemate in efforts to bring about a cease-fire.

Both the Pakistan Foreign Minister (Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) and the Indian Foreign Minister (Mr Swaran Singh) are now at United Nations headquarters in New York.

There were reports that Mr Bhutto had met the Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Chiao Kuan-hua, head of Peking’s United Nations delegation.

Soviet party In New Delhi, the arrival was awaited of a high-level Soviet delegation led by the First Deputy Foreign Minister (Mr Vasili Kuznetsov). Diplomatic observers said he might want to persuade Indian leaders to accept the United Nations cease-fire call Soon, possibly after the fighting uvEast Pakistan has come te a.fiecision. Reports from the front ll ’®s spoke of a comparative lull in the west after a ferocious battle in southern Kashmir on Friday, but in the east Indian troops were said to be advancing towards the capital of Dacca. Indian spokesmen said the way to Dacca was now clear from both the north and east, and the leading Indian units were quite close to the city. They reported that the outnumbered and battered Pakistani troops were surrendering m hundreds. Grim situation A spokesman in Rawalpindi admitted that the situation in the east was grim and that India had dropped a brigade of paratroops to support its advance on the capital. India’s air power was now unchallenged by the Pakistan Air Force throughout the eastern region, the Pakistani spokesman acknowledged.

forces—including paratroops —around Dacca. A Government spokesman said last night that a brigade of Indian paratroops had dropped' 50 miles from the East Pakistan capital in one of a series of operations by paratroops and helicopterborne forces during the day. Indian air power is now unchallenged by Pakistan’s Air Force throughout the entire eastern region, he acknowledged at a press conference. Though officials insisted that Pakistani forces were still in command of all major cities in the east, they admitted that their troops were under heavy pressure and

had been forced to yield ground. Bombing plans An official of the British Deputy High Commission in i Karachi said today that he believed India might step up i its bombing raids now that ' most foreigners had been ■ evacuated from the city. He was among 107 Britons ' flown out of West Pakistan ’ yesterday, who arrived at Gatwick Airport early this ; morning. The evacuees in- . eluded 24 crew members of ’ the British cargo ship Har- ’ mattan, hit by an Indian missile off Karachi on Wednesday. I “From what India said it . looks as if they, are really - going to bomb Karachi now . —it sounded like a now-or- • never chance for us to get I out," the official said.