Office of the Historian

427. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon1 2

Washington, July 15, 1972

SUBJECT:

  • Relief Assistance Totals for Bangladesh

The following are the totals on relief assistance for Bangladesh from January 1 through June 30, 1972, as compiled by the United Nations Relief Operation in Dacca:

Contributions from 20 other nations, the EEC and private sources $533.64 million
Contributions from the USA $263.27 million
Total Contributions $796.91 million

The U.S. contribution thus stands at 33% of the total international contribution, which was the share approved by you in February.

The composition of the U.S. contribution is as follows:

To U.S. Voluntary Agencies $14.94 million
To UN Relief Operation $35.30 million
To the Government of Bangladesh $115.00 million
Other (transportation) $7.28 million
PL 480 $90.75 million
Total $263.27 million

The bilateral grants to the Bangladesh government were made at the end of May and in June after your instruction to provide as much of our assistance as possible bilaterally. The recognition of Bangladesh on April 5 had made it possible to begin making that shift from the UN channel.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 591, Country Files, Middle East, Bangladesh. Limited Official Use. Sent for information. A notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Haig sent the memorandum to Kissinger under a covering memorandum on July 15, in which he noted that “according to Saunders’ bookkeeping” the United States had maintained the 33% contribution level stipulated by Nixon. In a handwritten note on the covering memorandum Kissinger expressed his doubts: “I am sure bookkeeping is crooked. Last year above total was 67%.” Despite his reservations, Kissinger initialed the memorandum and sent it to the President.↩
  2. Kissinger sent to Nixon a summary of the relief assistance provided to Bangladesh January 1–June 30.↩