273. Telegram From the Embassy in Pakistan to the Department of State1
2812. Subject: Review of Reprocessing Issue.
1. GOP budget and AID programming cycles will require us to make hard decisions on FY 78 aid program by early May. With completion of French elections,2 I hope Dept will undertake new talks with French aimed at cancellation of Pakistan nuclear reprocessing plant contract. If that maximum goal remains elusive, I would hope that we could persuade the GOF: (a) to continue its moratorium on transfer of reprocessing equipment or technology3 and (b) to agree that the US should now undertake consultations with the Congress leading to a resumption of aid lending to Pakistan. Our commitments to GOF, about avoiding actions and statements, presumably terminate with passage of elections, and while we will want to stay in step with GOF where possible, we have our own interests in Pakistan.
2. In urging (b) above on the GOF, we should argue that we are now nearing the point where we will lose the entire FY 78 program of aid (some $52 millions) for Pakistan if we do not move ahead; [Page 657] without movement now we will find it extremely difficult to maintain our AID mission here in a state of readiness. Further delay would also make it virtually impossible to make rational preparations for an eventual FY 79 program. All this would have important adverse effects on US/GOP relations, including our ability to support nonproliferation goals.
3. In presenting our position to the French we can point out that in our congressional consultations we will say only what is already on the public record, i.e., that to the best of our knowledge there has been no violation of the Glenn Amendment since its passage, that the French Government has proposed to the GOP changes in the reprocessing contract, and that no further shipments under the contract are contemplated while the GOF and GOP continue their discussions. We would also, of course, explain to congressional leaders that no solution has been achieved on the reprocessing issue, but as long as we know of no imminent violation of the Glenn Amendment, we believe it inappropriate to hold back aid funds.
4. AIDAC septel4 will outline specifics of timing constraints on program decisions and other personnel and program issues affected by continued freeze on assistance programs.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780130–0977, D780124–0599. Secret; Exdis. Sent for information to Paris.↩
- The French elections took place on March 12 and March 18.↩
- See Document 270.↩
- Not found.↩