If at all India is to consider the problems of its foreign policy, naturally it will have to be done on the backdrop of this world situation. That is why I made a reference to the world situation, and whatever is happening in our part of the world, also will have in other parts of the world.

If we come to the crescent of the crisis, we see that the problems of the Middle East are still unsolved. On the contrary I would say that, despite the Camp David Agreement and many talks between Israel and Egypt the Middle East still continues to be an explosive problem; not only an explosive problem, but an explosive area.

The question of Palestine is still alive; not only alive but unsolved; and there are not even remote chances of its being solved in the near future. Turkey is in difficulty. If we see Iran, the whole history of Iran that should open the eyes of all developing countries. The. U. S. A. adopted it as a friend and tried to give it strength and base-some sort of strength-in Asia. But what did they do? They tried to build up a structure of modern power on the basis of a feudal system and, therefore, the entire modern power structure collapsed under its own weight when the future of the feudal system became dark. The Shah-en-Shah - I am sorry for him - he had to leave. He is not well today. I am not criticising anybody. But that is the difference between the policy of an imperialist power and the policy of any developing country trying to get itself involved in the net of a bigger power, imperialist power. This is the fate that they will ultimately meet with. When we are considering the neighbourhood of India, we will have to consider these problems more carefully. What has happened in Pakistan is causing us concern. I am glad that we have taken many initiatives and tried to improve our relations in the last four or five years, not only, by one administration, then during the Janata regime; then, Mr. Foreign Minister, you have carried the same message forward and tried to improve the relations with Pakistan. This is what we have to do. We do not want Pakistan to be in trouble. I pray that Pakistan remains stable and powerful. But looking to the basic conflict between the people of Pakistan and its military rulers. One shivers to think what is in store for Pakistan in future. And this is something very serious. It is not a matter of satisfaction to India at all. It is a matter of great concern to us. In a neighbouring country, if some sort of instability being built up, what happens to India is the next question; therefore, we have to worry ourselves. So, this is the picture of the Middle East. Iran going this way and Pakistan that way. So, in this background we have to consider some of the questions that 1980 has confronted us with.

The first problem is the problem of Afghanistan and I can say with satisfaction that the position we have taken, this government has taken and this country has taken is basically a balanced position. Of course, we have taken a position that we cannot justify sending of an army by one sovereign country into another sovereign country. We have said that we cannot justify. This is the position we have taken and I think this was appreciated by many countries in the world. At the same time, there is another aspect about which we have taken a position that the conditions in Afghanistan - Afghanistan is a friendly country and nonaligned country- a sovereign country are such that somebody from ourside, reactionary forces from outside tried to interfere with its internal affairs. That also is a matter which cannot be supported. Here again, I must say that we will have to see the perception by the USSR of the other forces. I think, what our Prime Minister was saying, is very correct that Soviet Russia gets a feeling of being encircled. If President Carter feels that his national interest gets threatened if something happen to the Gulf, should not USSR feel threatened if something happens to its nextdoor neighbour, Afghanistan? This is exactly what happened there, They feel that they are being encircled. Therefore, there is no necessity to go far, to seek the reasons and the compulsions, which ultimately led Soviet Russia to send its forces in Afghanistan.