Office of the Historian

7. Telegram From the Embassy in India to the Department of State2

New Delhi, May 18, 1955–4 p.m.

1795. Last evening at reception given by Pakistan Ambassador [High Commissioner],3 Col. Pearson introduced me to General Mirza. Pearson was aide to Mirza occasion Mirza’s visit United States, and it was evident Mirza holds him in high regard. Mirza immediately began talk about meetings with Nehru and Indian officials. He said there was no possibility of important advances in settlement of Kashmir question at present meeting, as Indian proposition that settlement along present cease-fire line wholly unacceptable to Pakistan. Said any Pakistan Government accepting such proposition would not last 4 hours. Mirza said incidents along cease-fire line were inevitable, and he had proposed progressive steps to reduce opportunity for incidents. Among these, he had suggested reduction of forces and arms and withdrawal of each side to point 500 yards from cease-fire line. He did not make clear whether suggestions accepted by GOI but did say that certain areas in which location of cease-fire line was unclear, establishment of proper location of line would be made. He said Pakistan Government admitted blame in recent Indo-Pakistan incident.4

Further, Mirza said GOI continued to indicate suspicions of United States aid to Pakistan and questioned its purpose.5 Also, GOI [Page 56] indicated dislike of pact with Turkey6 and displeasure toward United States for “meddling in Egypt’s affairs”, claiming strong interest in Egypt. On these last points, there was no opportunity to secure elaboration. I suggest they can be developed at Karachi.

Cooper
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 690D.91/5–1855. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Karachi.↩
  2. M.S. Mehta.↩
  3. Reference is to a recent border clash involving Indian and Pakistani troops in Kashmir.↩
  4. On May 19, 1954, the United States entered into a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with Pakistan. According to the terms of the agreement, the United States would provide military equipment and training assistance to Pakistan. (TIAS 2976 or 5 UST 852) See the editorial note, Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. XI, Part 2, p. 1845.↩
  5. Reference is to the Baghdad Pact, a Pact of Mutual Cooperation signed by Iraq and Turkey on February 24, 1955. For text, see 3233 UNTS 199. Pakistan signed the Pact on September 23, 1955.↩