603.4193/9–2951: Telegram
The Chargé in India (Steere) to the Secretary of State
1189. Deptel 1685 to London rptd Delhi 693, Moscow 213, Bern 41.1 Dept’s views communicated in detail to Bajpai late Sept 28. He obviously thought Dept instrs had resulted from my report his vague remarks on same subject contained Embtel 1134, Sept 26.2 He reacted strongly and said that Dept shld be assured that GOI wld not refrain, through fear of Commie Chinese Govt from making representations on humanitarian matter, in which GOI thought CCG was bound to have regard for sentiment of outside world. He added that he wanted make clear that GOI did not look upon this question from political point of view nor had GOI ever for moment thought US interested political propaganda in this affair.
Bajpai concluded by saying he wld immediately send further instrs to Pannikar to take action—what action he did not say.
He said that Pannikar had thus far had only informal consultation with diplomatic colleagues Peiping and had not been party to any [Page 1814] agreed procedure for representations to CCG. Pannikar wld not leave Peiping for India until Oct 12.
- Dated September 26, p. 1811.↩
- In the reference telegram, not printed, Steere reported that he had learned from Bajpai that Panikkar had informed the Indian Government that he and his diplomatic colleagues thought a joint or separate démarche-on behalf of U.S. nationals was inadvisable since representations had already been made concerning foreign nationals in general (293.1111/9–2651).↩