53. Editorial Note
Secretary Dulles met with Pakistani Finance Minister Amjad Ali on March 11 while in Canberra attending the third SEATO Council meeting. They discussed several recent developments affecting United States-Pakistani relations, including the Kashmir dispute:
“Amjad Ali raised the question of Kashmir and said that the plan to send Jarring to the subcontinent would prove fruitless. He was not optimistic over the possibility of a softer line on the part of Nehru. The Secretary said that he also was not optimistic. Amjad Ali said that it would be necessary after Jarring’s return to the Security Council for the Council to take a strong line. Time, he said, was on the side of Nehru. The Secretary reminded Amjad Ali that we had attempted to put through a much stronger resolution, but that it encountered a Soviet veto. Amjad Ali said that if the Soviets vetoed another resolution Pakistan would take the Kashmir case to the General Assembly. The Secretary asked Amjad Ali if he thought Pakistan would be able to get the necessary two-thirds majority and the Finance Minister said the GOP thought so. They had collected clippings from all over the world and that it was obvious that world press opinion was on Pakistan’s side. He hoped that this was an indication of widespread government support. Pakistan, however, was canvassing the members of the General Assembly to find out their attitudes. In response to The Secretary’s question concerning timing, Amjad Ali said that they might take it to the General Assembly in September or if they could muster enough support they might take advantage of a special session. The Secretary remarked [Page 129] that Nehru seemed adamant and Amjad Ali agreed and said he could not understand why Nehru was clutching to Kashmir so tenaciously, he had vast territories already. In any event, according to Amjad Ali, Nehru is losing the stature that he had some months ago. Amjad Ali referred to the fact that Krishna Menon was always harping on self-determination, but that with Kashmir the situation seems somewhat different.” (Memorandum of conversation by Withers, March 11; Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199)