164. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India1
1825. Subject: Charan Singh’s Reply to the President on Afghanistan.
1. Confidential–Entire text.
2. Following is text of subject letter delivered to Department on January 2. Begin text:
3. I am writing in reply to your letter of December 30 regarding the situation in Afghanistan.2 I am sure that you have been informed of the statement issued by us on December 28 stating that, consistent with our commitment to the basic principles of non-alignment, we support the sovereign rights of the Afghan people to determine their own destiny free from foreign interference.3 We have also expressed our opposition to interference in the internal affairs of any one country by another.
4. We have made it clear to the Soviet Government that we expect withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan at the earliest possible moment; that the situation there would be defused; and that we hope no action will be taken which would tend to destabilise the situation in the region.
5. In this context, I must express my surprise and deep dismay that your government has decided to provide military supplies once more to Pakistan. You are no doubt aware of the reasons for our concern. The rapid strengthening of the Pakistan armed forces since 1971 has already made it necessary for us to repeatedly reconsider our own defence arrangements. Inevitably, any supplies to Pakistan will remain available to them long after a resolution of the Afghanistan situation, and our experience indicates that arms acquired by Pakistan, for other ostensible purposes, have been used exclusively against India, in the end. It is also a matter of regret that we were neither informed nor consulted before the decision was arrived at.
6. I do not need to recapitulate to you the efforts which have been made by successive governments in India to improve relations with Pakistan, and thereby improve the climate in the sub-continent. You [Page 430] have been good enough in the past to commend these efforts. It would be highly retrograde if this movement is reversed for reasons of temporary expediency.
7. In a broader perspective, this region is in a state of considerable instability and turmoil. Increased arms supplies to Pakistan will serve only to increase the possibilities of destabilisation. We would, therefore, urge upon you to bear these broader considerations and long-term perceptions in mind before decisions are finally taken or implemented.
8. We have followed with considerable admiration the efforts of your government to adhere in the recent past to policies of restraint in regard to arms supplies to Pakistan. We would hope that you will continue along this path which is indeed the path of reason. Some of the pressures that you face require a high degree of courage if they are to be resisted in the interest of the common good. We are confident that you, Mr. President, and the United States will not be found wanting in this moment of trial. End text.
9. Embassy should refer to this telegram only in Stadis.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800008–0713. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis; Stadis. Drafted by John R. Malott (NEA/INS); cleared in S/S, S/S–O, NEA, and by Thornton; approved by Schaffer.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 162.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 162.↩