India and Pakistan to work for peace

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32959, 4 July 1972, Page 13

India and Pakistan to work for peace

C.V.Z P.A -Reuter—Copyright) SIMLA (India), July 3. President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto flew back to Pakistan today after signing an agreement with India that could lay the basis for a lasting peace in the subcontinent.

The six-point agreement signed shortly after midnight by Mr Bhutto and the Prime Minister of India. Mrs Indira Gandhi, does not solve any specific issues, but both countries have agreed to settle their problems peacefully and without the use of force.

India and Pakistani have pledged themselves to avoid any actions | which might harm [ peaceful relations and have agreed not to interfere in each other’s affairs. For countries which have fought four wars in 25 years —the last only seven months ago—the document is seen as a major achievement reflecting good will on both sides despite obvious difficulties still ahead. Observers said that the key point was the commitment by the two nations to maintain the status quo along the cease-fire line in Kashmir and to try to find a “final settlement” to the problem. The dispute over the divided territory has been the major impediment to good re- I

| lations and threatened to hold I up agreement at the summit ; conference right up to the I last minute. 1 The agreement also stipulates that all problems should be discussed bilaterally, which would prevent Pakistan taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations again. Mr Bhutto, however, pointed out at a news con- ■ ference yesterday that it would be unrealistic to think that a curtain could be pulled over the sub-con-tinent. Both sides are to withdraw their forces behind the international frontiers (excluding Kashmir), which means India giving up large chunks of territory it seized during the war last December. Pakistan gained only about 50 square miles in India. Pakistan was anxious to i have the withdrawals in the

document. The withdrawal will take place within 30 days of the ratification of the agreement by the Pakistan National Assembly meeting next month.

The repatriation of Pakistani prisoners of war is to be thrashed out by officials and it is assumed that India will not want to jeopardise the chances of a Kashmir agreement by stalling on their release.

India says that the prisoners — numbering about 93,000 including civilians—can only be released with the consent of Bangladesh, and the Dacca Government is expected to come under considerable pressure to hand them back. Officials are also to discuss

the resumption of diplomatic relations and steps are to be taken to reopen trade, communication links, and overflights by civilian aircraft. The officials will lay the groundwork for further summit meetings between leaders of the two nations. No dates have yet been mentioned.