200. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Turner to Secretary of State Vance and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1
SUBJECT
- American Aid to Pakistan Concerning Afghanistan
1. The American offer of US$200 million in military assistance to Pakistan remains completely unacceptable and personally demeaning to President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, according to Lt. Gen. Akhtar Abdul Rahman, Director General of the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISID), who spoke privately about the matter on 5 February 1980. Rahman said that when he talked with National Security Advisor Brzezinski, Zia had wanted Rahman to convey the message that the U.S. and Pakistan must keep talking to find a solution to the problem. Rahman quoted Zia as saying that Zia would do whatever the U.S. wanted, including an agreement in writing, to confirm the fact that he has sided with the U.S. against the USSR. Rahman expressed the view that a way must be found to develop a new package. He said he was embarrassed at the failure of the Brzezinski talks because he (Rahman) had urged Zia to look forward to those meetings with the expectation that there would be some improvement in the US$400 million total package.
2. Rahman commented further that there is a very strong anti-Pakistan, leftist lobby in Iran which is feeding reports to Pakistan officials to the effect that Iran is opposed to Pakistan accepting any U.S. aid. Rahman believes that these reports are encouraged by the Soviets. The reports are being used nonetheless, said Rahman, by some Pakistan officials as an argument against acceptance of American aid.
- Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat (ES), Sensitive and Super Sensitive File, 1979–1983, Lot 96D262, Box 4, 1980 ES Sensitive, Feb 1–29. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. A handwritten note indicates the memorandum was received in S on February 12.↩
- An unknown hand signed for Turner.↩