Secret
Telegram
July 3, 1971
From:
Secretary of State Washington DC
To:
American Embassy Islamabad
Subject:
June 28 Message from President Yahya to President Nixon
Following
is text of telegraphic message dated June 28 from President Yahya to President
Nixon delivered by Pakistan Embassy to White House June 29.
FYI:
President is responding to above as well as June 18 message (state 111968) in
letter to be delivered by Dr. Kissinger during forthcoming visit Islamabad,
signed original being carried by Saunders.
End.
Dear Mr. President,
1. 1 was greatly encouraged by report given to me by
Mr. M. M. Ahmed after his meeting with you in Washington last month. I deeply
appreciate your continuing interest in our development and particularly your
assurance that U.S. would not wish to do
anything that would aggravate Pakistan's difficulties and U.S. would like World Bank and
other members of Consortium to adopt a similar helpful posture.
2. The proceedings of the informal meeting of the
Consortium held at Paris on 21st June have however
come to us as a disappointment. The official communique issued after the
meeting is bare and negative. The same day British Broadcasting Corporation
and New York Times carried stories that the Consortium had decided to withhold
further aid to Pakistan until the Pakistan government reveals what
sort of political settlement it envisages for East Pakistan. The veracity of the
newspaper reports has been enhanced by a statement of the British Foreign
Secretary that "there can be no question of new British aid to Pakistan until we have firm evidence
that real progress is being made towards a political settlement".
3. All these developments have led to a strong and
widespread public reaction in Pakistan. It is most unfortunate that
all this should have happened at this juncture. It can only make more difficult
the task of a political settlement.
4. In response to these developments I had no choice
but to declare in unequivocal terms in my broadcast of today that external
assistance will be unacceptable to Pakistan.
5. It is important that the general impression about
the present attitude of the Consortium countries to Pakistan is fully clarified. The
adjournment of the Paris discussions without announcing
a date to take up our requirements is being interpreted as consequence of
Indian pressure tactics.
6. 1 hope Mr. President that in view of the friendly
relations between our two countries and your personal interest in Pakistan's
integrity and well-being, you will prevent the present ambiguity and
misunderstanding from becoming a source of further strains in Pakistan's
relations with the western world. This is something which we should in our
joint interest try to prevent.
7. Your sympathetic approach to the problems that Pakistan is facing today and the
understanding you have shown of our efforts to resolve the crisis in East Pakistan continue to be a source of
strength to me. I hope Mr. President that your personal interest and support
in this regard will be maintained.
With warm personal regards,
Yours sincerely,
A.M. Yahya Khan
Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon House 1971, Enayetur
Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim, Pustaka Dhaka, p – 148 - 149