Secret Telegram

November 23,1971

From: Secretary State Washington DC

To: American Embassy Islamabad

 

1. Reports of extensive and presumably Indian-supported Mukti Bahini penetrations along East Pakistan border could represent seri­ous escalation in Indian/Mukti Bahini pressure tactics against Paki­stan. On behalf of President Ambassador Keating is conveying to GOI our deep concern over this development.

 

2. We are also instructing Ambassador Beam in Moscow to convey to Soviets our concern over these developments and our hope that USSR will use its influence for restraint by GOI ,

 

3. You should seek immediate appointment with President Yahya to inform him of actions we are taking with Indians and Soviets. You should take note of Yahya letter to President (septel), expressing President's strong appreciation for Yahya's determination continued exercise greatest possible degree of military restraint and "avoid senseless and destructive war with India". You should say that there is much appreciation within USG for the difficulty Yahya faces in holding to restraint, particularly in view of growing military pres­sures along East Pakistan borders. We are confident, however, that Yahya shares strongly our belief that resort to war would be disas­trous for both India and Pakistan and would enormously complicate the task of achieving a viable political accommodation acceptable to the people of Pakistan and which we are convinced is the only course through which the risks of conflict can be set aside.

 

 

 

Source: Bangladesh Liberation War and the Nixon House 1971, Enayetur Rahim and Joyce L. Rahim, Pustaka Dhaka, p – 397 - 398