The Centre insisted that 1971 should be accepted as the base year.

Assam Talks

Talks between the Union government and All-Assam Students Union and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad leaders on the complex question of detection and deportation of foreign nationals have broken down. At the last round of discussion, the Centre rejected the AASU-AAGSP plea that 1951 be accepted as the base year for the identification and deportation of foreign nationals in Assam. There was no meeting point between the two sides. The Centre insisted that 1971 should be accepted as the base year.

US Aid To Pak

The United States is still determined to give aid to Pakistan and has suggested an amended formula for it. Under the amended proposal, the United states will present its Congress legislation for economic aid and reiteration of the 1959 security guarantee, leaving military aid in the limbo for the present. Observers in Washington point out it matters little how aid is given to a nation: Pakistan has always been free to buy military equipment from the Americans, as is India. Instead of giving Pakistan 200 million dollars in economic aid and 200 million dollars worth of military equipment, the US can give money to Pakistan in the name of economic aid and reschedule the loans, releasing that portion of the funds for military purchases.

Farm Input Costs

FAO director general, Eduardo Saouma, supported Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s suggestions for an international agreement for limitation of costs of strategic farm inputs. Saouma told a press conference that he shared the Indian prime minister’s concern over the spiralling prices of inputs, which particularly hit the poorer farmers. Mrs Gandhi had made the suggestion while inaugurating the plenary session of the FAO regional conference in Delhi on Monday. Replying to questions, Saouma said that he would try to bring about such an agreement.