Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–7, Documents on South Asia, 1969–1972
Document 265
265. Telegram 7113 From the
Embassy in India
to the
Department of State
1
2
New Delhi
,
June 9, 1972, 1525Z
Subject:
Secretary Connolly’s Visit to India
1.
As Department aware, style and substance of Secretary Connolly’s visit will be crucial importance to its success, with style carrying greater importance with unusually-sensitive and xenophobic Indians than probably any other post he will vtsit. On substantive side, as our senior most
US
representative to visit India since souring our relations with Indo-
Pak
war and its after-math,
GOI
will be looking (and hoping) for some indication we are prepared to let bygones be bygones and work toward a new mutually satisfactory and fruitfull relationship. This is true even though they continually rake up old complaints in Parliament and in the press.
2.
I will have some specific suggestions for Secretary regarding his dialogue with key Indian leaders which I hope will help set positive tone of this visit. I suggest secret service be reminded that Secretary and party as welcome guests in India will be considered by
GOI
to be their primary responsibility as regards security and welfare. Obviously, Secret Service will feel only they can effectively assure Secretary’s safety, but I hope they will in turn consider Indian authorities their partners in this effort, and am confident they will receive the excellent and effective cooperation we have always had from Indian services in such instances.
3.
On substantive side, I would hope Secretary could include following elements in his presentation:

(A)
Reiterate assurance we are prepared to let bygones be bygones and believe it in our mutual self-interest to look to future and not past.
(B)
Assurance that future
US
role in area, contrary to what others say about us, is one designed to contribute to peace, stability and development of area as a whole, interests we believe are wholly compatible with those of
GOI
and other countries.
(C)
Improvement in our relations can only be based on recognition that each of us must take account of vital interests of the other e.g. Viet Nam and not act in such a way as to directly interfere with the vital interests of the other party.
(D)
For its part, in implementing foregoing,
US
has no intention in foreseeable future to provide lethal military equipment in any form to Pakistan (Comment: This is the single most irritating bone sticking in the Indian craw. Orally and in the press the impression is conveyed that the freeze on further military aid to Pakistan is only temporary and after election the flow will start to again build up Pakistan military machine. End comment.) We should point out we do not seek to build up Pakistan or any other country as a counterweight to India; we have long contributed to Indian economic development because we wanted to see a democratic India make a success of its development. Our assistance efforts in future will only be in response to clearly expressed requests of GOI.
(E)
As further earnest of our intentions, we are authorizing release of dols 87.6 million non-project assistance which had been temporarily suspended at outbreak of hositilities last December. (Comment: This so-called “breach of
US
committment” is second most serious irritant. Although pride may cause
GOI
officials not to bring up this subject and indeed to react to offer of reinstatement with reserve and possible rejection. End comment.)
4.
Needless to say it is extremely important to success of Secretary Connolly’s visit that we take favorable position on Indian debt relief at forthcoming Paris meeting.
5.
If it is intention to provide report to Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on results of Moscow summit I would hope that new piece of information or insight could be included beyond that which has already been well-covered in public domain. Report similar to that contained in Secretary’s presentation to
NAC
(Bonn 7563) would be most helpful.
6.
By time of visit we should know outlines of results Indo-
Pak
summit. It would be useful to invite Indian leaders to give their appraisal of summit results. However, it will be important to remember extreme Indian sensitivity to anything smacking of meddling in what
GOI
insists is bilateral affair. Given present
GOI
suspicions, Indians will be on quivive for any statement that might imply
US
coercion or excessive
US
intervention.
7.
I trust Department will find foregoing thoughts helpful in preparing for Secretary’s visit, which I am confident can be important milestone in reversing current atmosphere of recriminations, and set stage for marked improvement in our bilateral relations.
9.
Department repeat as desired.
Keating