168. Memorandum From Thomas Thornton of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Emissary to India (Clifford)1
SUBJECT
- Your Meeting with President Carter (U)
According to my notes, the following were the main points that President Carter made during his meeting with you on January 23.2 (U)
You should tell Mrs. Gandhi on behalf of the President that she has a friend in the United States. We see Soviet action in Afghanistan as a threat to world peace. We are concerned about India’s security, supportive of its attempts to deal with domestic problems, and hope for peaceful relations between India and Pakistan. (U)
The President noted in this context that he had urged both President Zia and Morarji Desai to meet but they had never been able to get together. The President recalled that Agha Shahi had told him of India’s suggestion that Pakistan shift forces from its Eastern to Western fronts.3 The Pakistanis were, however, somewhat skeptical. (C)
You may inform Mrs. Gandhi that Warren Christopher will be visiting Pakistan in early February. (C)
If Mrs. Gandhi raises the question of a visit to the United States, you should tell her that the President looks forward to meeting her and that the respective foreign ministries should discuss dates. You need not, however, raise the possibility of a visit. (C)
You should also stress to Mrs. Gandhi the President’s continuing concern, affection and interest for India. This results from his personal ties, including Miss Lillian’s time there4 and his own visit.5 He noted that many Indians who visit the United States go to Plains and meet with Miss Lillian. He wants to build this friendship further. (U)
The President hopes that he will be able to number Mrs. Gandhi among those world leaders with whom he carries on a continuing [Page 443] correspondence, designed to exchange views on important international and bilateral topics. (C)
The President noted that he hoped that India would be willing to sign a Tlatelolco-type agreement and believes that Pakistan would follow suit. He doubts, however, that Mrs. Gandhi would be interested in that. (C)
The President said that he saw no way that improvement in US-Chinese relations could be anything but good for India. Certainly China would be reluctant to jeopardize those relations by aggression against India. When Deng Xiaoping was here, he spoke with pleasure, even excitement, about the then forthcoming visit of Indian Foreign Minister Vajpayee to China. Obviously the Chinese erred seriously by attacking Vietnam during the visit; nonetheless, it was clear that the Chinese looked forward to improving relations with India and we believe they still do. (C)
In the area of arms supply, the President and Dr. Brzezinski made three points:
—We will inform India about the kinds of weapons that we will supply to Pakistan before we seek final approval of the list.
—In any event, we propose to sell defensive-type weapons only.
—As we help Pakistan, we are also prepared to help India in the context of enhancing regional security. (C)
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 28, India: 1–3/80. Confidential.↩
- Carter met with Clifford from 9:30 to 9:50 a.m. in the Oval Office. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary)↩
- See Document 408.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 62.↩
- See Documents 90–92.↩
- Thornton signed “Tom Thornton” above this typed signature.↩