Crucial talks in India

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33676, 28 October 1974, Page 13

Crucial talks in India

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, October 27. The visit of the United States Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger), to New Delhi is regarded as a politically - important event for India. It is the first visit by an American Secretary of State for more than five years, and comes at a time when India is seeking renewed food aid fr.om Washington. The visit may well mark a turning-point in relations, which have only slowly improved from the low mark of 1971, when the United States adopted its now famous “tilt” towards Pakistan in the Bangladesh crisis. Dr Kissinger, then President Nixon’s national security adviser visited New Delhi briefly in July, 1971, and received a distinctly cool

welcome: only a minor Foreign Ministry official was on hand to meet him. This time, he is assured of a much more cordial reception: he will stay at the President’s Palace — an honour normally reserved for Heads of State and Government. Mrs Gandhi complained of America’s view of India in an interview published a few hours before the arrival of Dr Kissinger. “We have always tried for good relations with them. Unfortunately they have regarded India as marginal to their global strategy. So it is really for them to think about this,” Mrs Gandhi said. The Prime Minister (Mrs Gandhi) and her Cabinet and advisers have held several meetings to lay the groundwork for the visit, and the American Ambassador (Mr Daniel Moynihan) flew to Moscow to accompany Dr Kissinger on his flight to New Delhi. Dr Kissinger and the Minis-

.ter of External Affairs (Mr Yashwantrao Chavan) are expected to sign an agreement tomorrow establishing a joint Indo-United States commission which will provide for high-level political consultations at I least once a year; and subcommissions will be established to expand trade and | commerce, and exchanges in science, technology, education, and culture. According to American sources, it had been hoped to clear up the issue of food supplies before Dr Kissinger’s visit, to avoid that subject’s dominating the discussions: hard-hit by shortages because of drought and floods, India has asked the United States for as much grain as she can spare on easy repayment terms.

This step marks a reversal of a decision taken in 1971 to end concessional food imports although outright food gifts have continued to arrive, to be distributed by American relief organisations in India.

Dr Kissinger is expected to have at least four hours of talks with Mrs Gandhi and Mr Chavan, and further, informal, discussions over lunch and dinner.

India will certainly want a reassurance that the United States does not intend to relax its nine-year-old ban on the supply of lethal arms to Pakistan; and Dr Kissinger, after his talks in Moscow, will be re-examining India’s close relations with the Soviet Union and the continuing coolness in ties between New Delhi and Peking. Another topic for discussion will be India’s attitude towards nuclear proliferation: there are many critics in the United States .of India’s decision to go nuclear who can make life difficult for Dr Kissinger when it comes to parcelling out what food grain is available.

American aid will also be the most important subject in Dr Kissinger’s talks in Dacca with the Bangladesh Prime Minister (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and his Foreign Minister (Mr Kamal Hossain). The American diplomat described Bangladesh an “an international basket-case.”