845.00/3–1048: Airgram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India

confidential

A–40. Urdes No. 218, Mar 10, 19481 entitled “Comments of Secretary of Ministry of States on Hyderabad Negotiations” which requested views of Department of treatment to be accorded Agent General of Hyderabad should such an officer be sent US.

In view India-Hyderabad standstill agreement of Nov 29, 1947 under terms of which foreign affairs, defense, and communications will continue on same basis as before Aug 15, 1947, US Government in its treatment of representative of Hyderabad will avoid any act which might be interpreted as a recognition of Hyderabad’s sovereignty or of right to conduct external affairs independently of GOI. While the treatment accorded Hyderabad Agent-General will depend on terms [Page 322] under which he conies to US as well as on arrangements made between Hyderabad and GOI for coordinating his activities with Embassy of India and/or Indian Consulate New York, he will probably be regarded as having status analogous to that of trade commissioner. It is likely that he would not be permitted to communicate direct with Department, but, like Consular Representative or foreign trade mission, would be obliged to use regularly established diplomatic mission, that is, Embassy of India, as channel for correspondence with US Government.

US policy re princely states remains unchanged, and Department will avoid encouraging aspirations of princely states for independence and the further political division of the Indian sub-continent. All matters of political or diplomatic nature or questions with political overtones which concern princely states which have associated themselves with Dominion of India will continue to be dealt with by Department through Embassy of India in Washington or US Embassy, New Delhi.

A copy of this airgram is being sent the Embassy at London, with the request that London also inform Department re treatment accorded the Nizam’s representative in the United Kingdom.

Marshall
  1. Not printed.