Discussing the recognition move yesterday, Mr. Bhutto spoke in an unsteady voice: “I don't say I like this decision,” he said. “I don't say my heart is happy. This is not an auspicious day for me but we can't change the reality.” The speech drew brief—and not especially warm—applause from the audience of about 300.

Recognizing Bangladesh will mean, initially, an exchange of diplomats and the possible establishment of telephone, mail and communications links. Beyond that, Bangladesh and Pakistan may seek to resume economic ties.

Before the division of Pakistan, when the nation's two wings were divided by 1,100 miles of India, the eastern part was a major supplier of jute and tea. What is most significant is that now Pakistan admits publicly that her former eastern wing is a separate nation.

“Big countries,” said Mr. Bhutto, relating his decision to recognize Bangladesh to the Islamic conference, “have advised us to recognize Bangladesh, but I have never bowed to pressure from the superpowers or from India.

“But at this important time, when Moslem countries are meeting, we can't say we are under pressure. It is not our opponents who advise us to take this decision but our friends and brothers.”

The Conference Starts

Less than an hour after the telecast Mr. Bhutto appeared in the Punjab Assembly chambers in the heart of Lahore for the start of the three‐day conference of Islamic heads of state. The participants include the most prominent leaders of the Arab world, President Anwar el‐Sadat of Egypt, President Hafez al‐Assad of Syria, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Presiden Houari Boumediene of Algeria, Col. Muammar el‐Qaddafi, the Libyan leader, and Yasir Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Mr. Bhutto said in his opening address, dealing mostly with the Middle East:

“The root cause of the conflict is not an innate animosity between the Moslem and the Jew or even between the Arab and the Jew.