Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–7, Documents on South Asia, 1969–1972
Document 114
114. Telegram 1291 From the
Embassy in Pakistan
to the
Department of State
1
2
Islamabad
,
February 12, 1971, 0755Z
Subj:
Arms for Pakistan Financial Aspects
Ref:
State 02028
1.
I would be less than candid if I did not express my disappointment regarding the information conveyed in the referenced telegram and my concern for its implications as much as I regret it, it is my feeling that the effort to effect an exception to our 1967 policy, which effort was undertaken in
US
self-interest, is turning out to be an exercise in futility.
2.
All and sundry are aware of the tensions and stresses which existed in
US
-
Pak
relations when I presented my credentials about a year and a half ago. The official
GOP
posture was critically cool and a large segment of the
Pak
press was openly antagonistic. Today there is a marked difference in
US
-
Pak
relations particularly in the higher echelons of
GOP
officialdom. It is patent that, to a major extent, the reason for this change stems directly from the limited arms offer to Pakistan and hence requires no amplification a that this improved climate is subject to a precipitous reversal is equally obvious.
3.
I must recall that Pres.
Yahya
himself has emphasized from the very beginning pakistan’s weak financial position

and its need for some accommodation that it can benefit from President
Nixon
’s one-time arms sale offer. As
Yahya
told me in our meeting on June 20 last year when I first informed him of Prs.
Nixon
’s decision, “Pakistan is broke and everyone knows it—you better than anyone else.” Various messages from this Embassy since that time have repeated the concern of the
GOP
leadership on this question.
Yahya
has raised the matter with me on most occasions when we have met. He has stressed that the
GOP
would face a very difficult situation if it turns out that Pakistan is unable to pay for the equipment which the
USG
has offered to sell. We are now close to that point.
4.
Washington’s effort to ease Pakistan’s disappointment and financial burden in the credit turndown, by offering $13 million in
FMS
credit this year and promising sympathetic consideration on
FMS
credit for
FY
72, is appreciated by me. I fear, however, that benefit to Pakistan through this route has been overestimated.
GOP
has thus far made purchases this fiscal year totaling $4.6 million which would qualify for
FMS
credit: sole major item is one C–130 aircraft which cost $3.7 million. Elements of
Pak
military have expressed interest in various additional purchases of non-lethal equipment which could conceivably use up all of $13 million
FMS
credit this year. Such additional equipment could include another C–130 aircraft, 10 t 37 aircraft, couple of helicopters and some jeeps. I wish stress, however, that these additional purchases are uncertain and unless we should wish to press
GOP
to “buy up” there will be a shortfall in utilization of the $13 million earmarked for this year similar situation may well apply next year. As Embassy has previously reported,
GOP
interest in procuring
US
equipment centers at this time on our one-time exceptional offer.
5.
I have one last suggestion to offer before I throw in the towel: it is a matter of interpretation. Someone somewhere along the line, sometime back, decided that an
APC
was a lethal weapon. An
APC
can be the mount for a gun or recoiless rifle, but so can a jeep. An
APC
can carry armed troops, but so can a school bus. An
APC
can be used in combat, but so can a bulldozer. I strongly urge and soonest that the lethal designation be removed from this

particular item of our one-time exception package in order to give substance to the $13 million in
FMS
credit for the purchase of non-lethal defense equipment.
6.
At a high level it was once acknowledged that there was need to make this offer “meaningful”. I submit that the need continues, and urge that serious consideration be given to this one last suggestion, which I respectfully make before the hatches are again battened down.
Farland