WASHINGTON: An American reaction was available yesterday to President Ayub’s interview to a foreign agency correspondent in Rawalpindi last week in which the President had indicated that the present trend of US policy towards India might force some of India’s neighbours to “look for protection elsewhere”.

In his regular column, the New York Times chief Washington reporter, James Reston, who is regarded by some as President Kennedy’s conscience keeper in the Capitol Press Corps, had this to say: “Washington need not get too excited by Pakistan’s silly threats to look for protection elsewhere if Kennedy doesn’t do what it wants.” The comment was made in an article in which he related at great length how hard it was for Uncle Sam these days to put up with his allies all over the world.

President Ayub had told the news agency that the feeling was “emerging in the minds of many countries surrounding India that with the help of American assistance, India is enlarging its military powers as a pretext of opposition to (Communist) China”.

He added: “And there is a feeling of uneasiness in many of the smaller countries around India that India may engage in an aggressive and expansive programme.

“Many people feel that the USA is very closely identified with India and therefore with aggressive Indian designs. If this goes on, I have no doubt that the smaller countries in this areas will be forced to look for protection elsewhere.” — Special correspondent