Office of the Historian

102. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India1

Washington, April 15, 1965, 8:57 p.m.

2162. As indicated in immediately preceding instructions,2 there follows Presidential message to Shastri which you may deliver in your discretion:

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

You know how much I have been looking forward to your visit here as an opportunity for the two of us to share our thoughts on the efforts we are making to give our peoples a better life. As the date approaches, I have realized that circumstances have combined to deprive us of the atmosphere in which we could most profitably do this. The Viet-Nam crisis has focused the attentions of my Government, as I am sure it has yours, on immediate issues related to our security in the Far East. Ambassador Lodge will give you my views on this and I hope you will speak to him most frankly regarding yours.

Furthermore, the future of the United States aid program has been called into question in the Congress, and the coming weeks promise to be ones of intense debate. In these circumstances the long-term interests of our two countries, and our ability to pursue them jointly, [Page 219] would be better served in my judgment if you came in the fall after the Congress has adjourned than in June. I have, therefore, reluctantly come to the conclusion that the next month or two would not be right time for us to exchange thoughts on our long-range plans and aspirations. I hope that you will not find it too inconvenient to defer your visit here until early this fall.

Our countries have long been closely associated in many common endeavors. In this association I believe we have developed the confidence in each other which allows me to suggest a new time for us to meet.

With warm regards.

Sincerely, Lyndon B. Johnson

Rusk
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, India, Vol. IV, Cables, 12/64–6/65. Secret; Flash; Nodis. Drafted by Schneider; cleared by Handley, Rusk (substance), and McGeorge Bundy; and approved by Blaine C. Tueller (S/S). Repeated to Karachi.↩
  2. See footnote 3, Document 101.↩