A book just published in Lisbon "Salazar-Kennedy: A crise de uma alian�a" (The crisis of an alliance) by Luis Nuno Rodrigues (Ed. Not�cias, 2002) deals with the case of Goa in pp. 310-157.
Here follow some of the issues treated: The Kennedy administration gave only verbal assurances of its political and diplomatic support to the Portuguese in case of an armed attack on Portuguese colonies (incl. Goa) but despite Portuguese insistence, refused at all times to put them in writing or to make these assurance officially public. The anti-colonialism seminar held in Delhi from Oct. 20, 1961 is given much importance for the inaugural speech of Nehru, in which he openly declared that armed intervention was not ruled out. Americans took it as meant for domestic" consumption on the eve of national elections. Following Nehru's visit to Washington, the Portuguese wanted to know what had transpired. They were told that Nerhu had not problems with public opinion at home about Goa and that "most Indians did not even know of the existence of Goa"! When the Portuguese Foreign Minsiter Franco Nogueira was asked if Goa was very important for Portugal, he answered that it had no commercial importance, but only historical, moral and psychological. He added: "Goans do not want to be Indian [...] and the Catholics in particular fear the consequences of any merger into India". So also the "Hindus who occupy important economic position in Goa and control most business would have much to lose by incorporation into India". The American Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, wanted to know what Portugal's position would be if India opted for referendum. Franco Nogueira dismissed the suggestion as unacceptable to Portugal if it was conducted under United Nations auspices. Galbraith, American ambassador in India, tried his level best to convince Nerhu to postpone the use of force by 6 months in order to give time to Amrican diplomacy. Nehru saw it as coming too late and without any assurances of success to bring the Portuguese to the negotiating table. He also conveyed to the American ambassador that Goa and Angola were seen by him as one piece of the worst brand of colonialism. he also brought to the notice the Indian public opinion infuriated by the violent reactions of the Portuguese administration in Goa against the satyagrahis. American diplomacy voted in favour of Portugal in Security Council, but there was not much to be done against the Russian veto. Portugal threatened to abandon UN and to renew the lease of strategic Lages air-base in Azores to the US. In the meantime the US continued voting in the UN in favour of descolonization of the Portuguese colonies in Africa, and conveyed to Portugal that it should not live out of historic context" which demanded self-determination for the colonial populations and that any of its negative decisions in UN would only harm the Portuguese interests in the long run. The fall of Goa witnessed street marches in Lisbon. US and English flags were dragged on streets and banners calling for death to Nehru, UN and to US were also visible. American and English embassies were provided added security attempts of assaults. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=- To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet ================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
