Secret
telegram
From:
Amembassy Islamabad
To:
Secretary State Washington DC
Subject:
GOP talks with Bangla Desh/Awami League
1.
Cleared Awami League MNA-elect Nurul Islam and MPA-elect S.B,Zaman called on me
at their request November 24. Acting Political Counselor sat in.
2.
Islam, who did almost all of the talking from his side, explained that he had
told President Yahya in meeting Nov 23 he and Zaman intended to call on me,
British Hicomer and Chinese during visit to Rawalpindi. Yahya had interposed no
objections.
3.
Islam said he and other cleared Awami Leaguers sought no personal power in
present crisis, but were only interested in seeing killing stopped in
camps
in
4.
He said the
5.
1 assured Islam and Zaman that US government had only two interests in
subcontinent and these were peace and the welfare of both Indians and
Pakistanis. USG and embassy,
6.
Zaman said that extremists on both the right and left in East Pakistan were
supported by about 10 per cent each of East Pakistan population. Vast majority
of East Pakistanis, including cleared Awami Leaguers, wanted united Pakistan on
basis of six points and thereby an end to exploitation of the past. They did
not seek, however, independence. Islam said he agreed with Yahya's assessment
that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be killed by East Pakistanis, i.e. Naxalites,
if he agreed to anything short of independence. In any case, Mujib's
credibility would be very suspect among general public who are likely to
believe that he had been brainwashed by Army during captivity.
7. After some prodding, Islam commented on his Nov
23 discussions with Yahya. Islam said that he told President that he had come
to Rawalpindi to tell him that he was at the disposal of GOP in current crisis.
He proposed that in an effort to clarify current situation (1) he be permitted
to meet Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to ascertain Rahman's personal views, i.e.
whether he continued to support six points approach or complete independence
for East Pakistan. Islam said Rahman would without question tell him that he
had been out of touch for eight months and could not express his views until he
had consulted with other members of the Awami League. (2) After discussion with
Rahman, Islam would proceed to
8.
Islam said that he had told Yahya the
9.
I said as East Pakistanis knew, US had made every effort to prevent execution
of Mujibur Rahman. We were receptive to specific ideas which might ameliorate
current situation.
10.
Islam said that he hoped in any future meeting with the President I would raise
with him some of the points which Islam had discussed. He indicated that he
and Zaman would be available to me if I so desired during their two-week visit
to West Pakistan.
11.
Comment: I am not optimistic that any of Zaman's four points offer realistic
basis for beginnings of negotiated settlement between regime and East
Pakistanis. Nonetheless, it is worth exploring with Yahya Islam's availability
to talk to Mujib and to Bangladesh reps. I have heretofore raised his
suggestion of restoration of Awami League as legal political entity. By-elections
in East and criminal charges already filed against many Awami League MNA's and
MPA's elect precludes implementation of Islam's suggestion of restoration of
status quo ante by permitting all elected Awami Leaguers to take seats in
national/provincial assemblies which in any case is patently unacceptable to
MLA.
Farland
Source: