245. Telegram From the Embassy in Pakistan to the Department of State0
1327. Following Foreign Minister’s departure for Dacca MEA gave us letter from Foreign Minister to Secretary of State signed just before departure. Letter pouched. Text dated January 21 is as follows, unessential words omitted:
“My Dear Secretary of State.
“I regret I could not reply earlier to your letter of 19th November 1962,1 due to numerous preoccupations. These are indeed, as you have rightly stated, troubled and difficult times for all of us.
“It is, however, source of relief to us that Cuban crisis has been almost resolved and major threat to world peace has thus been averted. It is my sincere hope that this would contribute to general easing of tensions.
“Meanwhile, armed clashes on Sino-Indian border have also, as we anticipated, come to an end. Efforts are now being made by some Afro-Asian nations to enable the two countries to reach peaceful and honorable settlement. We welcome these efforts for we cannot think of an armed conflict between our two mighty neighbors—China and India—which might result in untold bloodshed, cripple their developing economies, disrupt the uneasy equilibrium in this region and even convulse whole world. The interests of world peace demand that far from supplying arms and ammunitions to parties concerned which might lead to resumption of hostilities, every peace-loving nation must exert its legitimate influence to facilitate negotiated settlement between China and India.
“You, in your letter, have dealt with Chinese objectives in Sino-Indian dispute. It appears that you seem to view it ‘as stepping stone to next objective.’ Whatever ultimate objectives of parties concerned may be, we consider that up to present, Sino-Indian dispute is limited to question of their borders.
“Our President in his letter of 5th November 19622 to your President has already thrown light on consequences of massive military aid to India. It is our firm conviction that this aid would either be used in resuming hostilities on Sino-Indian border with its enormous repercussions [Page 482] on all neighboring countries or consequent military build-up in India might well be used against us in absence of Kashmir settlement. You have correctly been informed of adverse public reaction in Pakistan to your assistance to India. I may add that talk in American press concerning $3 billion five-year arms aid program to India has further alarmed people of Pakistan.
“I have given thought to assurances contained in your letter that United States military assistance to India will not be used against Pakistan. Government of India, however, appears to be committed to a policy of self-sufficient defense establishment. ‘The aid to which we attach greatest importance,’ said Minister Nehru according to Washington Post, of January 1, 1963, ‘is aid which enables us to develop ourselves, to manufacture, to make araments that we need, because that is permanent help in making us self-reliant in that respect … . That means additional machines for our armament factories and our ordnance depots.’ Should India be able to acquire such a military capability with foreign assistance, I wonder how any power would be able to restrain her from using output of her own defense establishment in any manner she deems fit. The current United States military aid to India, in above context, is therefore cause of genuine concern to all of us.
“I avail myself of this opportunity to reaffirm that we attach great importance to our long-standing friendship with United States and our common membership in CENTO and SEATO. We are also grateful for assistance we have received from United States. We do believe in you when you say that in recent weeks you have kept in forefront of your minds interests and concerns of Pakistan. I would, nevertheless, in all frankness as desired by you, like to point out that there is genuine fear among our people that your government’s preoccupation with Chinese motivations may preclude you in long run to pay adequate attention to vital interests of Pakistan which, it is needless for me to stress, has always given unstinted support to United States.
“The need of the hour is that growing military imbalance in subcontinent, caused by United States assistance to India should be redressed. United States must continue to use its influence to facilitate settlement of Kashmir dispute with view to ensuring lasting peace in this region. Pakistan, which embarked on path of modernization rather late, requires extra assistance to maintain her planned economic growth.
“Finally I would like to say that I also attach great importance to such exchange of views and personal contacts. Looking forward to meeting you in coming months, yours sincerely, Mohammed Ali.”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 791.56/1-2263. Confidential; Limit Distribution.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 201.↩
- See Document 195.↩