Ayub Khan, the President of Pakistan, whose arrival at London Airport was marred by demonstrations, on his country's conflict with India in the Rann of Kutch.
London: Claridges Hotel: CS Ayub Khan intvw SOF - (Q: "What about the news of the latest fighting in the Rann of Kutch?") "Well it's the first time I have heard of it - that there has been, according to your papers, a clash between our troops and the Indian troops. I've not got the details and so I can't really comment on it, but our orders to our troops are quite clear, they must not open fire unless they are fired upon, and so if this flare-up has taken place, it must have been unprovoked aggression from the Indian side." - (Q: "The Indians actually claimed that it was a Pakistani attack.") "Well, as I say, I don't know. It can't be an attack, why should it be an attack against orders and so on." - (Q: "Are you hoping to talk to Mr [Lal Bahadour] Shastri (Indian Prime Minister) about this dispute?") "There is nothing laid on. Mr Shastri has been going about saying he has no intention of talking to us, so should he wish to talk, I'm quite willing to talk." - (Q: "You're going to see the Prime Minister this evening, is there anything particular that you want to discuss with him?") "Well nothing in particular, except to pay my courtesy call on him and also thank him for the hand he's taken in the resolution of our Rann of Kutch problem with India. Prime Minister [Harold] Wilson has taken a lot of trouble and so has his staff, and your High Commissioner in Karachi has done a lot of good work, and I shall take the opportunity of thanking him for that."
Date: 16/06/1965
17 сен 2024
