1.
GV EXT. Pakistan Embassy in Washington DC.
0.05

2.
GV Ambassador with press.
0.10

3.
CU Ambassador speaking.
0.15

4.
SV Ambassador speaking.
2.02


TRANSCRIPT: (SEQ. 4): AMBASSADOR: "The refugee problem is entirely a human problem and we would like it to be handled in that way. I would greatly depreciate any attempt made by anybody, no matter with what motive, into turning this into a political issue, which is in the back of the minds of those who want to internationalise it. The world knows that the refugees are there, that we have a refugee problem on our hands, and the government of Pakistan has mad its position quite clear. It wants all the refugees and all people who have left Pakistan on account of the disturbances or the fear or the misled, to return, and the President disturbances or the fear or the misled, to return, and the President said this to foreign correspondents the other day and that he used the words that every genuine Pakistan refugee who has left his country due to these causes, or under duress, or under threat or fright, is welcome back, and he also pledged that the necessities of existence would be provided to help returning refugees to resettle in their homes. Now of course, if this had been left purely has a Pakistani affair to sort this out, this would have been sorted out by now. But unfortunately we were not allowed, by extraneous forces, and particularly those around us, from being able to do so".




Initials VS/21.31 VS/21.44



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Pakistan Ambassador Agha Hilaly called in a press conference at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Thursday (27 May) for an end to external interference in Pakistan's method of dealing with the refugee problem following the fighting in East Pakistan. He said that his government was doing everything possible to facilitate the return of the refugees who fled to India during the fighting. He also said that his country did not want a war with India, but resented India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attempt to "internationalise" an internal problem.