THE British Cabinet Delegation … told Indians on Thursday that the time had arrived for them to exercise the utmost in statesmanship and be prepared for “decisive consultations between the Indian parties,” says Preston Gover, APA Staff Correspondent in New Delhi.

The statement appeared to indicate the Cabinet Mission was about through with its gathering of viewpoints and was ready to undertake round table discussions with the contending parties present. As a secondary step, the statement indicated that they expected the Indian parties themselves to consult apart from the Mission.

The text of the statement said: “…[The Cabinet Mission] are now proposing to enter on the next and most important phase which calls on the utmost efforts from the leading statesmen of India, and from the Cabinet Mission, to arrive at a solution acceptable to all sides.

“The Mission are confident that at this great moment in the history of India it will be possible with mutual goodwill to reach that decision… .”

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2021