Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

Washington, March 23, 1972, 0219Z

1.: In letter dated March 20 to Sisco, Ambassador Raza, on instructions, requested: (a) resumption of spares and end items already contracted for (including 300 APCs), and (b) “agreement in principle for release of lethal sophisticated equipment such as artillery and anti-aircraft weapons, aircraft, ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missiles, missile-carrying boats, submarines, etc. at reduced price and on deferred payment.”
2.: Attachments to letter include: (a) new requests for end items including 100 M–47/48 tanks, 4 submarines, 12 B–57s, 25 F–5s, 1,000 M-601 trucks,some artillery and communications equipment; (b) list of “items already contracted but not yet delivered” which appears to be resume of previous requests reftels from old FMS cases, including 300 APCs; and (c) list of [Page 2] actual losses in December 71 war of U.S. origin equipment (includes 74 tanks, 25 F–86s, 4 B–57s and 3 F–104s. Letter and attachments pouched to Embassy.
3.: Itemized requests in attachments do not RPT not contain any missiles mentioned in covering letter from Ambassador. END

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 12–5 PAK. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Peter Constable (NEA/PAF) on March 21; cleared by Laingen, Schneider, Van Hollen, and Alan Ford, Deputy Director of the Office of Military Assistance and Sales (PM/MAS); and approved by Sisco. Sent for information to DOD/ISA/NESA for Colonel Gross. Raza’s letter to Sisco can be found ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 627, Country File, Middle East, Pakistan, Vol. IX, Jan–31 Aug 72.↩
The Department transmitted to the Embassy a summary of an extensive request for military assistance and sales conveyed to Assistant Secretary Sisco on March 20 by Pakistani Ambassador Raza. The request included 100 tanks, 4 submarines, and 3 squadrons of planes.↩

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–7, Documents on South Asia, 1969–1972