IMPORTANT

India's determination to remain aloof from power blocs was
repeated yesterday by Nehru in an address to the Indian Council of
World Affairs. He thought that any attempt to go too far in one
direction would create difficulties within India itself. India's
foreign policy, which had been developing gradually, was to
cultivate friendly relations with all countries. She had inherited
no past hostility to any country and she desired to keep clear of
any hostile backgrounds, although it was her duty to defend
herself if necessary. She would contribute more towards
maintenance of peace by taking an individual stand as crisis arose
rather than by merging herself with hard and fast groups. He did
not think, barring a 'grave accident', there would be a war in the
next few years. Referring to Indonesia, he said it illustrates the
different psychological approaches to various problems of the
people of Asia and Europe.

This problem was important for Asians because it threatened the
whole of Asia. If there was to be a passive acquiescence by great
powers, this would be a partnership in guilt, although he
expressed some understanding of the conflicting responsibilities
facing Pact countries. The fact that the Western Powers could
include the Netherlands in the Atlantic Pact showed that the
people of Asia and Europe had a different system of priorities in
politics. Dealt with racial equality, and referred to Indians in
South Africa, maintaining that if such were allowed to continue a
wider conflict not confined to South Africa was inevitable. He
hoped that the United Nations would hasten a solution.

The speech contained no mention of the position in Burma, of the
recent conferences or of Regional. [1] There was a friendly
reference to. [2]