§ Q6. Mr. Barnesasked the Prime Minister when he next plans to seek an official meeting with President Yahya Khan.
§ The Prime MinisterI met President Yahya Khan in Islamabad in January. There are at present no plans for a further meeting, but I have since kept in touch with the President through diplomatic channels. In addition, I had a meeting a week ago with Mr. Arshad Husain, the President's special envoy.
§ Mr. BarnesDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept that if a country is involved with another country's affairs, either by supplying arms or by supplying aid, that gives that country the right to speak up when events happen as they did in Pakistan? Is the Prime Minister prepared to say to President Yahya Khan that Britain will not enter into any new aid commitments for Pakistan so long as East Bengal is held down by military oppression?
§ The Prime MinisterThere are two aspects to this very difficult question. I would agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is right that we should use all our influence in these circumstances to secure what the President himself has publicly said is his objective, and that is a political solution to the difficulties confronting Pakistan. But the hon. Gentleman will recall, on further reflection, that British policy on aid has on the whole been to proceed regardless of certain political aspects of a country's national life. I would not, on this occasion, like to say that that is a principle which should immediately be overthrown.
§ Mr. BraineIn view of what my right hon. Friend has said about aid, is he aware that there are now over 1 million refugees from East Pakistan in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, and that the Indian authorities are encountering increasing difficulty in providing food, shelter and medical supplies? Is there any step he can take to speed international 1171 relief to deal with what appears to be an increasingly tragic situation?
§ The Prime MinisterThere are, alas, many hundreds of thousands of refugees in West Bengal. The last figure we were given was 600,000 but it may well now be more. We understood that the numbers were increasing at the rate of about 20,000 a day. As to the specific point raised by my hon. Friend, we are in contact with the private charitable organisations which are arranging the transport of relief supplies to West Bengal to help the refugees from East Pakistan. Our understanding is that they are hoping to get the first flight-loads away in two days' time.
§ Mr. ShoreIn view of the many allegations of very brutal repression in East Bengal, has the right hon. Gentleman pressed upon the Pakistan President or the Government the desirability of introducing observers into that country to see whether these grave allegations are correct, and, if they are, to exercise a restraining influence?
§ The Prime MinisterThe right hon. Gentleman will not expect me to reveal the contents of confidential exchanges that we have had. I would agree with him that where there are allegations and misrepresentations of a situation the healthiest way of dealing with it is to have observers, under an international organisation or from certain countries or from the Press, who can see the situation for themselves.
§ Mr. Hugh FraserWhile I am sure the House is grateful to my right hon. Friend for the action that he has taken, may I ask him whether there is any chance of getting international relief organisations to operate in East Pakistan? Up till now, although many are waiting to go, none has been allowed to get in. This is a very urgent matter, and I wonder whether my right hon. Friend can tell us anything about the talks that he is having with the Pakistan Government on this point?
§ The Prime MinisterI know that the international relief organisations are in many cases prepared to help in this very difficult situation. We are in contact with those organisations which have approached us in this country. I hope 1172 that in the course of the next 48 hours they will be able to render help. There have also been talks with the international organisations, but I cannot at this moment give my right hon. Friend any firm details as to when it will be possible for them to render assistance.
§ Mr. John MendelsonIn view of this serious situation, would the Prime Minister agree that it might be time to use the medium of the Commonwealth or perhaps a group of Commonwealth Prime Ministers to make a joint approach? Would it not also have the advantage of avoiding any further sharpening of the disagreement between India and Pakistan?
§ The Prime MinisterIf I thought there was any reasonable prospect at all of that being a helpful move I would not hesitate for one moment to take it, but the hon. Gentleman and the House will realise that certain frictions exist between Commonwealth countries over this problem and I am not sure that it would be helpful at this moment to bring them together about it.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonDo not some of the questions asked by hon. Gentlemen opposite on this question reveal the impression that some of them have not got used to the idea that Britain is no longer the imperial Power in the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree with my hon. Friend that we have to respect the territorial integrity of Pakistan and its sovereignty as a State. I have always made absolutely plain to the President of Pakistan that this is the position of the British Government. At the same time, there is deep feeling in this country and the House about the problems which exist. This was shown in the different situation which arose when part of East Pakistan was hit by the hurricane and there was an upsurge of voluntary effort which amazed the world, as I know from my own contacts. There is similarly today a very deep feeling about the situation. I think it is quite natural that many in this country and the House would want to help.
§ Mr. DalyellIs it not a cause of some concern that many of the weapons that have been used in East Bengal were provided for very different purposes by 1173 members of CENTO, including this country?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is always a difficult circumstance when there is internal strife in a country which is a member of an alliance. On the other hand, many of the weapons which the Pakistan Government had at their disposal were secured from sources quite other than CENTO and the British Government.