Memorandum
from Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon/1/
/1/ Source:
National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 37, President's
Daily Briefs, Dec 1-Dec 16, 1971. Secret. A stamp on
the memorandum indicates the President saw it.
EVENING
REPORT
1. Briefing
of Senate Leadership on India-Pakistan-I met with the Senate leadership for
almost an hour this afternoon to review the events leading up to the
India-Pakistan war and to further explain U.S. efforts and policies./2/ I first
outlined the general course of events and particularly stressed the repeated
efforts that the Administration had made to dissuade the Indian Government from
the use of military force in East Pakistan. I also noted the suggestions which
we have made to President Yahya and his receptivity
on a number of them.
/2/ In a telephone conversation with President Nixon the evening
of December 6, Kissinger expressed concern about the tenor of the briefing
I then
explained the reasons for the action earlier today in suspending $87.6 million
in general economic aid in the Indian pipeline. I stressed our policy of not
becoming involved and noted the long history of hatreds and problems in the
area which were not of our doing. I reiterated the support we have had in the
Security Council and noted our forthcoming efforts to take the issue to the
General Assembly.
Senator
Fulbright was the first to say that he thought we were doing exactly the right
thing in not becoming involved and he said he had no criticism of
Also present
and in accord were Senators Mansfield, Scott,
[Omitted
here is an analysis of issues unrelated to
Robert
Miller/3/
/3/ Deputy
Executive Secretary Robert Miller signed for
Source: Document 240, volume XI,