Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The British Commonwealth; Europe, Volume III

845.00/6–2047: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India

confidential

Washington, June 20, 1947—5 p. m.

337. June 19 Reuter despatch reports selection Karachi as capital Pakistan and quotes Minnigerode¹ as stating that “question of establishing an American Embassy here was engaging the attention of US authorities”.

Dept appreciates fact Minnigerode may have been misquoted² but wishes stress need avoid premature indication any US intentions re establishment additional dip missions in India or that question is engaging question [attention?] US authorities this time.

Sent New Delhi, repeated Karachi and London. Delhi to inform other consulates.

Marshall

1. Holdsworth G. Minnigerode, Consul at Karachi.
2. Minnigerode informed the Department, in telegram 39, June 23, from Karachi, that the Reuters dispatch allegedly quoting him was “utterly false,” and that he had limited his June 17 remarks before a delegation of eight newspapermen to the comment that he had no information on the subject of establishing an American Embassy at Karachi and was unable and unauthorized to make any statement (845.00/6–2347).