Office of the Historian

422. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Pakistan1

Washington, March 3, 1967, 6:51 p.m.

148588. 1. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission MM Ahmad accompanied by Ambassador Hilaly met with Agriculture Under Secretary Schnittker and Assistant Secretary Jacobson March 2 with requests for 250,000 tons wheat for FY ’67 (Hilaly) and 1.5 million tons for FY ’68 (Ahmad) with deliveries of latter to commence in June.2

2. Schnittker agreed to look into both requests. In regard to FY ’68 request and timing of these deliveries Schnittker said, in the context of U.S. supply situation and forthcoming consideration of global requests, that “we’ll do our best on the timing.”

3. Ahmad’s presentation of food situation followed same lines as earlier talk with Gaud (reported separately) and he provided same Aide-mémoire.3 He stressed two additional points (1) GOP approval of policies and resources for agricultural production which would enable FY 1970 to be last year of concessional wheat imports, and (2) provisional decision to shift to local currency convertible payment as follows: FY ’68 one-third, FY ’69 one-half, FY ’70 three-fourths.

Rusk
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, AID (US) 15–8 PAK. Confidential. Drafted by Guy C. Mallett (NEA/PAF); cleared by Horbaly (USDA/FAS), and Palmer (AID/NESA); and approved by Spain. Repeated to Lahore and the Embassy Office in Karachi.↩
  2. During his visit to Washington Ahmad pressed his request for food assistance for Pakistan in meetings with Eugene Rostow on March 6, with Wriggins on March 6, and with Jacobson on March 10. (Ahmad’s meetings with Rostow and Jacobson were reported in telegrams 150823 and 153129 to Rawalpindi, March 8 and 10 respectively; ibid.; his meeting with Wriggins was summarized in a March 6 memorandum from Wriggins to Walt Rostow; Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Pakistan, Vol. VII, Memos, 10/66–7/67)↩
  3. Not found.↩