This is my impression; the Foreign Minister may, perhaps, confirm it. Some of the Western canaries except the U. S. A. and perhaps the U. K. also - I really do not know - understand this position. Our position is that, as there should not be the intervention of the Soviet Army, there should not be the intervention of other political powers also in Afghanistan, so that it can give a reason for provocation to Soviet Russia. I think, the credit goes India that they initiated this proposition, that the Afghanistan problem can be only solved by political methods and by no other method. The initiative was taken by India - ‘India’ as a country, I am saying; I do not want to say ‘Government’; I am talking in the name of India; they have taken the initiative in this matter, and this has been generally accepted by all; even in the Non-aligned Conference, they have accepted that. There is no military solution to this, there will be a regional war, if not World War. This is the reality of the situation that we are facing today. It is no use using very brave words and taking very brave positions. You have to live through a very dangerous period, and every second has to be lived through very carefully, very cautiously, at the same time keeping our principles in tact. I do not say, ‘Compromise with your principles’. Never compromise with your principles.
The Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers’ Conference was held after many years, perhaps for the first time, in India; and I can say this from my personal experience. I was rather a little worried about the position India had taken; I had a fear that there would be some sort of a pressure on India in this Conference. Well, I am glad that this Non-Aligned Conference was held in India; it was held in India and that is the only reason why we could keep the unity of the non-aligned countries. This is the great achievement. Because I feel personally that non-alignment has been for quite some time - I have got experience during my time - under some sort of a pressure for the dilution of the principles of non-alignment, if not division in the movement of non-alignment. Therefore, there was a great danger of disunity at this non-aligned Conference but I must say that somehow India’s efforts succeeded.
Some Members mentioned about the draft. The Foreign Minister was good enough to send his original draft to some of the Members who were the Members of the Consultative Committee. I had seen that draft. Nobody had felt that this draft was going to be accepted as a whole. Not only in this Conference, but in all conferences, the host country always prepares the draft. The only thing is that it prepares a draft according to its own inclinations and it tries to persuade the other countries to accept it. But it does not mean that they are always accepted. More than a couple of dozens of amendments are always made. I remember the previous Foreign Ministers Conference held in South America ...
An Hon. Member : In Havana.
Shri Y. B. Chavan : It was held in one of the South American countries. I forget the name of the country at the present moment. There also we saw that amendments had to be accepted. We did move certain amendments and they had to be accepted by the other people. So it always happens this way. Only because some amendments are passed, therefore, we cannot say that India has lost any ground or India was isolated. I do not consider that sort of thing. Even if we are isolated on certain principles, we prefer isolation also, if it comes to that. But there was no isolation. You did not allow ourselves to be isolated. That was a good thing.
