Secret telegram

24 September 1971

From: Amconsul Calcutta

To: Secretary State Washington DC

 

Subject: Contact with Bangladesh Representatives

 

1. Summary: Poloff now expects meet with "Acting President" Nazrul Islam either September 24 or 25. We have been informed by Qaiyum Indian officials may be attempting control US-Bangladesh contacts. End summary.

 

2. Afternoon September 23 Qaiyum's messenger called on Poloff to set up meeting with Qaiyum. Messenger volunteered that delay (see reftel) was due to fact that GOI had learned that USG officials had seen BD representatives and had apparently issued warning to "Acting President" Islam that dealing with USG could be ticklish matter. According messenger, head of MEA branch secretariat Ashok Ray on September 21 spoke to Islam and asked him if it was true, as GOI had heard, that BD representatives were holding discus­sions with USG officials. Messenger assumed Islam's reply was af­firmative and reported that Ray then delivered warning that Poloff was "experienced and extremely clever diplomat" who would at­tempt manipulate Islam and BD policy. (Comment: From context of his remarks, it would appear that, although name of Poloff was used by messenger, Ray, who aware of current visit of Pol Counselor from New Delhi to Calcutta, believed Pol Counselor planned to meet Is­lam. See Calcutta 2554. End comment). Messenger said he was re­porting above to Poloff without knowledge of Qaiyum. He said Qaiyum wanted meet Poloff evening September 23 and expected Qaiyum would express to Poloff Islam's doubts about a meeting. Poloff readily agreed to meet Qaiyum and remarked to messenger that pur­pose of meeting with Islam was merely to hear what latter had to say, nothing more. He suggested that if messenger had direct contact with Islam and found that he feared attempt by Poloff to guide or other­wise influence BDG that messenger take opportunity to allay Islam's fears by repeating what Poloff said.

 

3. Poloff met Qaiyum briefly evening September 23 and was told that Islam still "keen" meet Poloff either September 24 or 25. Qaiyum apologized for not having met Poloff September 21 as he had previously suggested and said reason for delay was that new problem had arisen. Problem, outlined below, had prompted Islam and Qaiyum to have several long consultations on question of Islam-Poloff meeting. All pros and cons had been considered, according Qaiyum, and final decision, made September 22, was that Islam still wished to meet Poloff.

 

4. According Qaiyum, problem arose because of Ashok Ray-Islam conversation, which he outlined as follows: Ray told Islam that dur­ing last visit of D.P. Dhar to Calcutta he was accompanied by MEA Director of BD affairs J.N. Dixit. Dixit had informed Ray that Dhar was told in New Delhi by Assistant Secretary of State Abshire that USG officials in Calcutta had been holding conversations with BDG reps. Ray asked Islam if this information were true, and after Islam replied in affirmative, expressed concern that BDG not fully pre­pared to hold discussions with sophisticated USG representative. Ray said GOI had "no objection" to such meetings, but suggested that "if BDG wished hold such meetings, they be arranged by GOI and that GOI provide advice to BDG rep." According Qaiyum, Ray implied that GOI would accompany BDG reps at such meetings. Qaiyum said that, to Islam, Ray's remarks sounded almost like orders from

GOL Islam told Ray that no repeat no Cabinet minister had met any USG official and said he would have to consider matter. Thereafter Islam and Qaiyum discussed Ray's remarks at length and arrived at decision that Islam would meet with Poloff at earliest opportunity "whether Ray says so or not."

 

5. Qaiyum continued that he and Islam blame GOI for current inter­nal dissension in BDG and said: "We are fed up with this attempt to control our actions." He opined that GOI wished to prolong currant situation and said this worried BDG because it worked to advantage of Maulana Bhasani and other leftists. Qaiyum said Bhasani is at­tempting to "linger this situation" in order to gain time to organize his followers and forces. Qaiyum said he and Islam believed that early solution of BD problem was only way in which Awami League could maintain its leadership. He noted that D.P. Dhar expected to return to Calcutta October 8.

 

6. According to Qaiyum's Indian informants, sole subject on Mrs. Gandhi's agenda during upcoming Moscow visit will be Bangladesh and related Indo-Pak problems. He believed Soviet President Podgorny would utilize October 1 stop in New Delhi to discuss same is­sue.

 

7. Poloff noted that, as Qaiyum had informed him previously, it seemed that BD "Foreign Minister" Mushtaq Ahmed would not be member of BD delegation to UNGA. Qaiyum said he had worked very hard to prevent trip by Mushtaq. He said one argument that he had used with "Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed was that it would be insulting to Bangladesh Government to have Mushtaq go to New York using Indian passport, as other members of delegation planned to do. He said he had argued that it made no difference if "unimportant" members of delegation utilized Indian passports, but for Foreign Minister to do so would be considered ludicrous in eyes of world community. "We are not, and do not wish to be, a colony or state of India. We want to be independent," said Qaiyum.

 

8. Poloff asked what Qaiyum meant by "independent" and he replied that he personally would not press for immediate independence for BD. What was more important in his view was that Sheikh Mujib be

freed. Sheikh could settle internal BDG dissension within 24 hours and every (East) Bengali would agree to any solution Mujib could reach, whether this meant independence, regional autonomy, or some other arrangement which continued East Bengal's association with West Pakistan. He added that he believed Acting President Islam had same views and suggested that Poloff draw latter out on subject of independence.

 

Gordon

 

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon White House 1971, p.219 – 222