Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXV, South Asia

222. Memorandum From the White House Situation Room to President Johnson ¹

Washington, September 22, 1965, 7 a.m.

India-Pakistan

Pakistan announced acceptance of the UN cease-fire proposal at a dramatic last-minute Security Council meeting last night.² Pakistan Foreign Minister Bhutto announced Pakistani acceptance as the 3:00 AM UN deadline was reached. India had already accepted the UN proposal, but the Indian delegate to the UN asked that a new time be set for the cease-fire to become effective in the light of Pakistan’s delay in announcing its position. The Security Council later announced that the deadline was extended 15 hours until 6:00 PM today.

Bhutto said Pakistan was giving the UN a “last chance” to settle the Kashmir question and stated that Pakistan would withdraw from the organization if it does not do so.

Prior to Bhutto’s announcement, the US Embassy in Karachi reported that Ayub would have trouble with Pakistani public opinion if a cease-fire was announced. The Embassy noted that to some extent Ayub is a prisoner of the propaganda carried in the controlled Pakistani press in the past several days, but added that public opinion in Pakistan is subject to rapid shifts in sentiment. President Ayub will address his nation sometime this morning.

Replying to Peking’s broadcast last night claiming that the Indians had attempted to destroy their old military works along the Sikkim border, the Indians have stated that none of their forces have crossed the Sikkim-Tibet border and that if the installations were destroyed, the demolition must have been done by the Chinese themselves.

Peking has as yet made no comment on the Pakistani acceptance of the UN cease-fire proposal.

Arthur McCafferty

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, India, Vol. V, Memos & Miscellaneous, 6/65–9/65. No classification marking. Prepared by Briefing Officer Arthur McCafferty. A handwritten “L” on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.
2. USUN reported on this meeting in telegram 861, September 22. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 27 INDIA–PAK)