Secret telegram

3 November 1971

From: Amconsul Dacca

To: Secretary State Washington DC

 

Subject: Yahya-Nurul Islam Meeting

 

1. 1 met Nurul Islam today in my residence and told him that Presi­dent Yahya had said to Ambassador Farland that he would welcome an opportunity to talk to Islam. I told Islam further that the President was aware that subject of release of Sheikh Mujib Rahman was one of topics that Islam would want to bring up.

 

2. Islam said he greatly appreciated my effort and that of Ambassa­dor Farland. After some speculation more in nature of thinking out loud than asking my advice about how to set up meeting. Islam said he and Zahiruddin Ahmad (AL MNA-elect and former central min­ister) would proceed to Islamabad as soon as they could obtain plane reservations and get in touch with President's Military Secretary there. Islam asked me whether President's staff would be aware of President's interest in seeing Islam, and I said that I could only pre­sume they would.

 

3. Islam said that he would seek opportunity on this trip to Islamabad to call on Ambassador. I neither encouraged nor discouraged him in this.

 

Spivack

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon House 1971, Enayetur Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim, Pustaka Dhaka, p – 310 - 311.