MR MENON AT CAIRO AIRPORT WITH THE U.A.R. DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, MR AHMED EL FEKI; AND TALKING TO REPORTERS.




Initials JM/V/JH/ES



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Background: INDIA AND PAKISTAN FACED EACH OTHER SUSPICIOUSLY ACROSS THE CEASEFIRE LINE TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH BOTH NATIONS REPORTED TO BE HOLDING ON TO THE TERRITORY THEY OCCUPIED WHEN THE CEASEFIRE CAME INTO OPERATION. THE INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY CLAIMED THAT PAKISTAN HAD VIOLATED THE CEASEFIRE YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) BY ATTACKING A POST ABOUT 40-MILES (64-KMS) INSIDE INDIAN TERRITORY.

YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) FORMER INDIAN DEFENCE MINISTER KHRISHNA MENON ARRIVED IN CAIRO FOR TALKS WITH PRESIDENT NASSER ABOUT THE CONFLICT. HE TOLD REPORTERS HE HAD BEEN SENT BY PRIME MINISTER SHASTRI, AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO NEW DELHI ON SATURDAY.

MR MENON SAID THAT THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'S ULTIMATUM TO INDIA -- OVER THE SIKKIM BORDER -- WAS SENT AFTER A VISIT TO PEKING BY PAKISTAN MILITARY MISSION.

THE INDIAN ENVOY FLEW TO CAIRO FROM BEIRUT WERE HE TOLD REPORTERS THAT FOR INDIA THE KASHMIR PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST. HE SAID HIS COUNTRY WAS "READY TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING WITH PAKISTAN" AND THAT PRIME MINISTER SHASTRI HAD ASKED HIM "TO COME AND SEE THE PEOPLE I KNOW IN THE AREA". IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, MR MENON SAID: "HOW CAN THEY (THE PAKISTANIS) WIN A WAR WHEN THEY HAVE NEVER DECLARED WAR... COUNTRIES LIKE PAKISTAN AND CHINA DO NOT DECLARE WAR... THEY JUST GO INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S COUNTRIES AND KILL PEOPLE."
(PRESIDENT NASSER ARRIVED BACK IN CAIRO YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AFTER HIS FOUR-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO MOROCCO, WHICH FOLLOWED THE ARAB SUMMIT CONFERENCE.)