Department of State
Secret
Memorandum for Mr. Henry A. Kissinger
The White House
Subject:
The actions we have taken with the Pakistanis to dry
up the military supply pipeline affect only items on the Munitions List
licensed by the Department of State. They will not affect the items licensed by
the Department of Commerce which include material of possible military use,
such as some aircraft, aircraft spares, helicopters and communications
equipment. Fifteen licenses pending in Commerce, mostly for ail-craft spare
parts, have a total value of $593,961. The Commerce Department, sensitive to
the problems involved, has referred these licenses to the Department of State
for informal review.
Several of the items covered by these fifteen
licenses could cause us major problems and embarrassment with the Congress and
the public. Public knowledge of their release, which we must anticipate, would
open us to charges that (a) some of the items, such as helicopters and aircraft
spare parts, could be used militarily in East Pakistan and (b) in approving
such items the Executive Branch was circumventing the recently announced
decision, worked out in conjunction with the Government of Pakistan, to
terminate the military supply pipeline.
Because of the potentially serious Congressional and
public relations problems involved, and the small dollar value of the items
being con-
sidered, we plan to discuss the Commerce license
question informally with the Pakistan Embassy. These informal discussions will
be designed to work out a mutually agreeable procedure for handling licenses
which would avoid embarrassing either government and undermining the advantages
which have resulted from the decision to dry up the military supply pipeline.
We would point out to the Pakistanis that unless requests for some of the
items which could have military use are withdrawn we believe there-would be
very adverse Congressional reaction which could result in Congressional
restrictions being imposed on all Commerce licenses for aircraft spares and
related equipment. (Items in the militarily sensitive category, which the
Pakistanis might wish to consider withdrawing, have a value of about $180,000;
more than $170,000 of this amount covers a recent request for three
helicopters.)
With regard to future handling of Commerce items we
would suggest to the Embassy that we institute a procedure under which the
Department of Commerce will consult with the Department of State before
licensing items of potential military use. The State Department in turn would
consult with the Pakistan Embassy and would informally suggest that the
Embassy might wish to withdraw the requests for items which, because of their
potential military use, could cause us problems.
During your discussion with Major General Inam-ul
Haq on September 10, General Haq raised the question of disposition of some
50-60 tons of unlicensed military supply items in the possession of Pakistani
agents here. You indicated that we would look into this question. We have examined
the problem and have concluded that there is no way to permit export of these
items without violating our own stated policy on military supply for Pakistan
which prohibits issuance of new licenses or renewal of expired ones. A
departure from this policy is bound to be publicized and severely criticized
from the press and Congress. We can, however, be helpful to the Pakistanis by
reabsorbing into Defense and by assisting the Pakistanis in finding buyers for
other items. With your concurrence, the Department of Defense will inform the
Pakistanis of our willingness to help in this way and proceed with the
appropriate technical discussions.
Theodore L. Eliot, Jr.
Executive Secretary
Source: