690D.91/6–2652: Telegram
The Ambassador in Pakistan (Warren) to the Department of State1
1577. This morning Amb Bowles, while passing through Karachi enroute to Delhi stopped over at my request and called on PriMin Nazimuddin. In a conversation directed to the acute situation presented by the Kashmir problem and the termination of conversations in New York with Dr. Graham, the PriMin recapitulated the thinking set forth in mytel 1563 of June 25, a copy of which went to Delhi. He said further that he is holding a cab mtg tonight and will present to his colleagues a proposal that they agree to accept a ratio of troops in Kashmir prior to the plebiscite of four to one or even five to one provided India will agree in terms of quantum, this wld mean that Pak would have from 4,000 to 5,000 Azad Kashmir troops and no regular army, while India wld have 15,000 regular troops plus 6,000 state militia, or a total of 21,000 in Indian held Kashmir. In the event that India wld not agree to this figure but wld acquiesce in a total of [Page 1265] 18,000 troops plus 6,000 militia, or 24,000, then Pak wld feel they shld have 6,000 Azad Kashmir militia. If the Pak cab agrees to this concession, both with respect to ratio as well as quantum, then the PriMin is to inform me and it is our understanding he will inform Dr. Graham. I in my turn am to inform Amb Bowles.
It is our thought fol the conversation with the PriMin before Bowles left for Delhi at two p.m. this afternoon that the Dept, provided Dr. Graham agrees, authorize Bowles to approach the Govt of India with a strong recommendation that the Pak concession be accepted by India and that the two PriMins agree to meet with Graham either in Delhi or elsewhere to work out the further details leading up to the designation of the plebiscite administrator to which they are both committed to Dr. Graham once the troop quantum handicap is overcome.
- This telegram was repeated to New York and London and for information to New Delhi.↩