Office of the Historian

90. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India1

Washington, January 15, 1960—3:40 p.m.

2667. For Ambassador. President has requested that you extend his personal felicitations and congratulations to Nehru and Ayub respectively regarding the reports he has received that a number of problems between the two countries have been satisfactorily resolved, [Page 202] and specifically the resolution of certain boundary difficulties.2 President would like you to say that in his opinion every step of this kind makes more promising the attainment of peace and freed. He extends his personal best wishes to both.3

Merchant
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 690D.91/1–1560. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by John C. Calhoun of S/S, cleared with Goodpaster and Assistant Secretary Jones, and approved by Acting Secretary Merchant. Also sent to Karachi.↩
  2. Earlier that month, a ministerial meeting between Pakistani and Indian officials had led to settlement of four of the five pending border disputes between West Pakistan and India.↩

  3. In telegram 1680 from Karachi, January 18, Ambassador Rountree reported that he met with Ayub on January 16 and delivered Eisenhower’s message. “Ayub was pleased,” Rountree noted. “He asked me convey to President’s continued interest.” (Department of State, Central Files, 690D.91/1-1860)

    In telegram 2421 from New Delhi, January 19, Ambassador Bunker reported that, in the absence of Nehru, he conveyed the substance of Eisenhower’s message to Pillai. (Ibid., 690D.91/1-1960)

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