Diplomatic Correspondent
Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, hopes that the Pakistan Army will now cease all avoidable action in East Pakistan so Chat negotiations between the Pakistan Government and East Pakistan representatives can he resumed as soon as possible. This much can be inferred from the meeting which Sir Alec had at the Foreign Office last night with the Pakistan High Commissioner.

A statement after the meeting said that Sir Alec asked the High Commissioner to inform him of the Pakistan Government's views on the situation in the eastern wing.

From reports now reaching London, it is clear that the Army are in control of important centres in East Pakistan.

They are said to be in full control in Dacca and Chittagong, and somewhat less so in Jessore.

The rice crop, so vital for Pakistan, is not being sown, and there will be serious shortages of food in country areas by the autumn. As a result. the Pakistan Army may well have to acknowledge that it cannot assert its authority over the whole country, and the Pakistan Government presumably recognizes the need to resume political talks of some kind.
Britons on massacres, page 6