India would not be performing a useful service if it established direct diplomatic relations with Israel at the present time, V. K. Krishna Menon, India’s Defense Minister, declared yesterday.
Mr. Krishna Menon made that statement in answering a question at a luncheon tendered him by the United Nations Correspondents Association. Asked how he justified India’s refusal to date to establish diplomatic exchanges with Israel, despite the fact that many Indians and Israelis are very friendly, he said:
“Establishment of such relations at this time would probably lead to tensions in the area. We could not change our position without causing irritation among the Arab countries. Any future usefulness that we might have would only be negated by such a change of policy at present–it is something that would only make for greater difficulties for everybody.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
