440. Letter From President Carter to Pakistani President Zia1
Thank you for your letter following the visit of Dr. Brzezinski and Mr. Christopher.2 I welcome the personal attention you have given US-Pakistan relations, and I hope that strengthened cooperation between our two nations will help to show the Soviet Union how seriously we view their ruthless and unprovoked aggression in Afghanistan.
[Page 1004]I was deeply impressed by the reports of my emissaries of your country’s determination to counter the Soviet challenge. Your leadership at the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference in January was vital in putting the Islamic World on record condemning the Soviet seizure of a neighboring Muslim country.3 I hope that Pakistan will exercise equally firm leadership at the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference in May to demonstrate that the Islamic world remains united in its condemnation of Soviet actions.
One particularly effective way to demonstrate opposition to the Soviet invasion is to boycott the Olympics, and I was pleased to learn privately of your Government’s decision not to go to Moscow.4 Making your position public before the beginning of the Islamic Foreign Ministers’ Conference would increase the likelihood that the moral weight of the Conference will remain behind the boycott.
The struggle of the Afghan people against the Soviet occupation forces is one of the most stirring events of our time. I attach the greatest importance to this struggle and know that you share my admiration for the Mujahidin. Not only does their bravery deserve recognition, their ability to continue their resistance brings home the cost of aggression to the Soviets every day. Such resistance, therefore, is in the interest both of the Islamic world and of the democratic western countries.
The United States places a particular value on close consultations between our two Governments in these critical times. We are always ready to work with you to find mutually acceptable and effective means of dealing with the problems and concerns that we share. We would be glad to hold any further consultations that you think advisable and will also continue to discuss with our allies those matters which are of interest to you. As you know, those discussions have already helped to mobilize some assistance.
I had hoped that this letter could include word of a successful rescue of the hostages in Tehran.5 Our attempt was a limited military action for that purpose, not an attack on Iran. Its failure has redoubled our determination to see the hostages freed. I hope you will continue to use your influence with the Iranian officials to promote a prompt resolution of this issue through peaceful and diplomatic means. This is not only a matter of humanity and justice, it is necessary for solving a problem that is dangerously distracting attention from the real issues confronting Southwest Asia.
[Page 1005]In closing, Mr. President, let me thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. It is important to share common plans and to air our differences in private correspondence or through diplomatic channels. Public criticism cannot promote our common objectives and will only make it more difficult to generate broad support for our mutual interests. I look forward to continuing our dialogue in the coming weeks and months.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Donated Material, Papers of Walter F. Mondale, Foreign Trips File, Box 151, [Vice President’s Trip To Yugoslavia for Tito’s Funeral, 5/6–8/1980]: Briefing Book on Bilateral Issues. No classification marking.↩
- See Document 426.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 422.↩
- Pakistan did not attend the 1980 Summer Olympics.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 439.↩