78. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)0
McGB:
Ayub’s reported decision to bring Kashmir dispute before SC in January bodes nothing but trouble. Paks are seizing opportunity created by Goa.
But a tendentious debate in UN will move us away from Kashmir settlement rather than toward it. It will also put us in painful spot of having to say something which will offend one side or the other.
Hence, we ought to head off SC debate if possible. For example, if Galbraith could talk Nehru into giving private assurances that he would discuss problem with Paks after the February elections, we might use these to get Ayub to backtrack.
I have mentioned the above to Phil Talbot, who has a working group just starting on Kashmir. We’ll also want Galbraith’s opinion when he gets here. I am cluing you mainly because we may want to make a louder noise to State.
- Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Robert W. Komer, 11/61-12/61. Secret. Copies were sent to Schlesinger and Rostow.↩