INDIA WANTS TO TAKE GOA BY FORCE, PORTUGAL TELLS UN ON 10TH DEC 1961

UNITED NATIONS 10^th December 1961: Portugal yesterday charged India with conducting a campaign of threats and intimidation designed to annex Goa by force. In a letter to Security Council President Omar Lutfi of the United Arab Republic, the Portuguese delegate, Mr Vesco Vieira Garin, asserted that Portugal was being made “a victim of unprovoked aggression on the part of the Indian Union”. He said: “Such aggression constitutes a grave threat to peace and security.”

Mr Garin did not ask for a Council meeting on the question — he only requested that his letter be circulated among all members of the Council “immediately”. The delegate charged that the Indian aircraft had violated Portuguese air space and the Indian troops had machine-gunned the Portuguese village of Foquirpato.

At the same time, he said, a violent campaign of “false charges” against Goa and the conduct of Portuguese authorities had been launched in Indian Press and radio. “As this mission informed the Security Council in due time, the Government of the Indian Union declared that it did not exclude the use of the Indian Army to annex the Portuguese territory of Goa.

“Information reaching the Portuguese Government in the last few days confirms that directive. In fact, important movements of Indian naval units have been observed near the territorial waters of Goa.”