Speeches in Parliament Vol. (IV)-63

What I am trying to tell you is that we are trying to make the Americans see that this is the result of their doing. Our main point was that by lifting this embargo they may weaken the psychology of normalisation of the relations and they will not help in the development of good relations between the two countries. But I would like to assure this House, this country and the world that despite all talks of war by others, we are not talking in terms of war. We are a country dedicated to the cause of peace, world peace, and we will make all efforts to remove any misunderstanding between the two countries and try to strengthen the spirit of the Simla Agreement and proceed on that basis.

Shri Bhupesh Gupta : You should strengthen the spirit of the Simla Agreement.

Shri Y. B. Chavan : Yes. We are very glad, as somebody just now said, that the President of Afghanistan is amidst us and we certainly want to have good relations with Afghanistan and we also want that Afghanistan - Pakistan relations should be good, and that the relations between Afghanistan and Iran are also very good.

As was just now mentioned, for the last so many months a controversy about the relationship between Iraq and Iran was in the air. But we have good and friendly relations with both Iran and Iraq and I am glad indeed that an agreement has been arrived at the leaders of Iraq and Iran on their major bilateral problems. Our satisfaction over this development is all the greater since we have traditionally close and friendly relations with these two countries. Let me take this opportunity and convey our sincere congratulations to the leaders of both these countries. So, this is our approach in this particular matter. As I have said, ultimately, what we have to do is not merely to see that we do with this Joint Commission or that Joint Commission - these are small matters and small issues and these are not issues on which we should concentrate our energies - but also to see the directions which ultimately we want to take, to see what the general principles of policy are by which you want us to be guided in this particular situation, and, ultimately, we will have to pursue our own policy of building up our relations with our neighbours and with other countries and, at the same time, not neglecting building up and strengthening our economy, building up the unity of our people and building up self-reliance in the matter of defence production in this country and that alone will give us the strength of national security.

Friends, I do not think I can add more than this and I do not think I can take any more of your time.

Thank you.