1971-12-17
By Tillman Durdin
Page: 1
Protest May Foreshadow Use of Military Pressure in Support of Pakistan
HONG KONG, Dec. 16— China, in a formal Government statement today on the Indian-Pakistani war, predicted a turbulent future for India. At the same time, the Chinese pointed toward a possible trouble zone by filing a strong protest in New Delhi over alleged Indian incursions from Sikkim into Tibet.
The statement and the protest were reported here in quick succession tonight from Peking by Hsinhua, the Chinese press agency.
The protest could foreshadow military pressure from China, a strong supporter of Pakistan, along sections of the eastern Himalayan border between India and China.
The 1,600‐word statement warned India that “he who plays with fire will be consumed by fire” and asserted that “henceforth there will be no tranquillity's for the Indian people.
Calling attention to India's own problems with minority nationalities, which it likened to the Bengali situation in East Pakistan, the statement said: “It may be asked how India would react if other countries should deal with India in the same way that India is today dealing with Pakistan and use armed force against India.”
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As an example of what it termed India's complex and acute nationality problems, the statement cited the national aspirations of the Kashmiris and said that India had gone back on her agreement to hold a plebiscite to decide the future of Kashmir.
In the protest, the Chinese charged that seven Indian armed personnel in two groups intruded into China for reconnaissance across the China-Sikkim boundary at Sese Pass on Dec. 10 by seven Indian soldiers.
“This is a grave encroachment upon Chinese territory,” the protest said. It demanded that “the Indian Government immediately stop its activities of intrusion into Chinese territory.”
India stations troops along the border between Sikkim, an Indian protectorate, and Tibet, an autonomous region of China. In addition, India also has troops along the Chinese border in Bhutan, a neighbor of Sikkim whose foreign affairs are handled by New Delhi.
High mountain passes across the China‐Sikkim and the China Bhutan borders give easy, downhill access to East Pakistan and Indian West Bengal and historically have been regarded as the best invasion routes from the Himalayas southward into the Ganges valley.
Winter does not block the passes, two of which, Nathu Pass and Jelep Pass, are only few hours by road from Sikkim's capital, Gangtok. There have been sporadic clashes in the past between Chinese and Indian troops along the China-Sikkim border.
Tonight's Government statement was the first formal government declaration to come from Peking since the start of warfare between India and Pakistan. It followed familiar lines in condemning India and the Soviet Union, which supports New Delhi, but also indirectly criticized Britain and France by scoring “certain big (powers” for remaining neutral, inactive and silent about the conflict. Britain and France have abstained in the United Nations Security Council on ceasefire resolutions.