690D.91/11–2452: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Mission at the United Nations

secret

227. Zafrulla called on Byroade Nov 22 and during conversation introduced subject Kashmir, covering some of background including reference McNaughton’s and Dixon’s attempts and Geneva discussions. In latter case he confirmed that Ayyangar admitted he was without authority to negot.

Significant points Zafrulla made were:

1.
SC res had difficulties for him but he cld not refuse accept it.
2.
He wanted a real try to be made in NY and thought Graham shld “spark” it by getting parties together. Zafrulla said he wld be out of NY from Dec 8 to 16 attending Commonwealth mtg London.
3.
He did not favor taking Kashmir to GA but said he had been willing consider this in light situation at close 30 day period provided for in SC res.
4.
He did not like idea of parties making report at SC mtg because it likely the Indians wld raise all the old issues and he wld have to try to anticipate an answer. This wld merely confuse and divert attention. He thought Graham shld report.
5.
He wld not be “sticky” on troop movements and indicated he might go above 18 thousand regulars plus 6 thousand state militia on Indian side cease-fire line if this wld make agreement possible.
6.
He wld have to insist however on same interpretation being applied to Paras 4(a) and 4(b) of 5 Jan 1949 res. If “final disposal” meant location and not withdrawal as applied to Indian side it had to mean same for Azad–Kashmir forces; if it were to mean withdrawal as applied to Azad–Kashmir forces it wld have to mean withdrawal for Indian troops.

Byroade asked what Pak attitude wld be if partition were broached. Zafrulla said he had no instructions but wld be willing put it to his govt if necessity arose. His discussion of some of technicalities indicated problem had been definitely in minds of Paks. He said Pak wld not advance this solution however and he did not believe Indians would do so either. It wld have to come from third party. He thought such proposal wld have to be done secretly at highest level and by someone of high prestige and authority. Only when agreement had actually been reached cld solution involving partition be made public. He and Byroade agreed however that presently contemplated negots in NY under SC res shld be carried through without introduction of new and complicated proposal outside UN.

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Byroade asked if Zafrulla thought agreement cld best be reached by getting Nehru and Nazimuddin together; it appeared that only they cld settle matter. Zafrulla thought this might be so at some stage but believed preliminary work by intermediary was essential.

Hold above in strictest secrecy.

Bruce