ALGIERS: President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto indicated last night [Jan 25] that his country would not implement a “Hallstein Doctrine” against the Soviet Union because of Moscow’s recognition of Bangla Desh. “The Hallstein Doctrine of the Germans was not used against the Soviet Union and I have never implemented the Hallstein Doctrine,” he told reporters after flying in for a 14-hour visit to Algeria. “You cannot implement a doctrine against a Great Power.” To a British reporter who asked for his reaction to Moscow’s recognition of Bangla Desh, he added: “But don’t think that Britain is a Great Power.” — News agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies in Washington,] President Nixon, in a major new Vietnam peace initiative, has told of secret negotiations with the Communists in a move to try to force Hanoi’s hand and also silence election-year critics who accuse him of letting the war drag on. The President went on the offensive ... last night [Jan 25] by publicly disclosing an eight-point peace plan given to the Viet-Nam Communists last October. The plan ... calls for the resignation of President Nguyen Van Thieu, new elections in South Viet-Nam, a total withdrawal of US troops, a ceasefire throughout Indo-China and the release of Prisoners-of-war.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2022