Office of the Historian

357.AB/3–2554

Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Wainhouse) to the Secretary of State1

secret
[Washington,] March 25, 1954.

Subject:

  • US Members of UN Military Observer Group in Kashmir.

Background

1.
Nehru declared on March 1 that it is improper for US observers to be in Kashmir because the US had ceased to be neutral as a result [Page 1353] of our military assistance to Pakistan. Since then the Indians have become aware of the additional problems which Nehru’s action might create for them in the UN and with the US, and the Indian Government would prefer to avoid a public show-down; nevertheless, India is determined to have our observers out of Kashmir. The Indians have approached the Secretary General and Menon has made an earnest plea to Ambassador Lodge, who recommended that we take our observers out. Following the approach by the Secretary General of the Foreign Office Pillai, Ambassador Allen recommended that we find some formula for a solution so that the US–Indian relations already seriously impaired, would not be further worsened.
2.
The Secretary General has the responsibility for recruiting observers. He has said publicly that UN observers are UN agents and that their nationality is irrelevant. Privately he termed the Indian position “fantastic” and said that he had no intention of asking for the withdrawal of the US observers. The Secretariat believes that acceding to India’s demand would impair the entire UN observer system with immediate repercussions in the Middle East. Apart from establishing a harmful precedent, withdrawal of the 18 US observers out of the total of 45 UN observers in Kashmir without replacement would seriously affect the UN observation function in Kashmir. We have indicated to the Secretary General that we share his concern but that the issue is one between India and himself. However, a new factor has been introduced by the direct Indian approaches to us and we are seriously concerned that our relations with India not further deteriorate.
3.
The Secretariat advised USUN that two US observers scheduled to leave Kashmir in mid-July need not be replaced by US personnel.

Recommendations

1.
USUN should inform the Secretary General that we share his concern in maintaining an effective UN observation system, we desire to uphold his authority, and continue to consider the Indian request to be a matter between India and the UN on which it is within his authority to decide. We have noted the Secretariat’s decision that it will not be necessary to replace our two observers scheduled to leave in July.
2.
Confidentially and off the record we should advise the Secretary General that we are seriously concerned over the effect of this issue on US–Indian relations, we have had high-level approaches by the Indians, no US national interest will be served by maintaining our observers in Kashmir and that we would like to see them replaced by observers of other nationalities within the next few months and in a way not impairing the observation system.
  1. Sent through the Executive Secretariat.↩