White House Washington DC

National Security Council

Secret/November 9, 1971

 

Chronology of military supply to Pakistan

 

Early April: State Department's Office of Munitions Control "suspends" the issuance of new licenses and renewal of ex­pired licenses for items on the Munitions List - for either FMS or commercial sales.

 

April 11: Defense, at State's request, instructed the services to delay the release of military supplies to Pakistan pending a full-dress review of our arms policy.

 

April 19:During SRG meeting, HAK says decision to cut off all military supply must go to President but defense of certain items can be settled in group. Packard volunteers to work up a consolidated list for review and says will not ship any "controversial" items.

 

April 23:Defense formalized its April 11 instructions to the services suspending the delivery of all end items, all ammu­nition and all spare parts for lethal end items under the FMS program.

 

June 25: State informed of President's decision to continue present military supply policy "as it is thus rejecting Secretary Rogers' recommendation that all shipments be temporarily suspended while we review items still in the pipeline to screen and those which could have military significance in East Pakistan or cause trouble on the Hill.

 

July 2: Defense broadened its suspension to encompass all material emanating from its supply depots regardless of le­thality. Services were also informally advised to cut back on negotiations that might result in unwarranted costs on short run.

 

August 20: Sisco called in Ambassador Hilaly to explore whether it might be possible to work out a mutually satisfac­tory way to dry up existing military supply pipeline over the next few weeks and implies this would enable US to provide economic aid.

 

August 23: Yahya responded in a generally positive way to "dry up" idea if it would help President's domestic political situation and agreed to send the head of Defense Procurement to look into the details.

 

Early September: General Haq in Washington to discuss status of pipeline shipments with Defense and State.

 

November 2: Yahya informed Ambassador Farland that he could understand our difficult position on military supply and was agreeable to a low-key announcement that military sup­ply to Pakistan has ended.

 

 

        Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon House 1971, Enayetur Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim, Pustaka Dhaka, p – 324 - 326