Nixon Presidential Materials

1971-11-26

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Backchannel Message From the Ambassador to Pakistan (Farland) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

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Foreign Relations of the United States
Volume X1
South Asia Crisis, 1971

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 426, Backchannel Files, Backchannel Messages, 1971, Amb. Farland, Pakistan. Top Secret. Received at 10:40 a.m.

Islamabad, November 26, 1971, 0749Z.
[number not declassified] 1. Met with Yahya 0930 hours local this morning.(2) In conversation judiciously drew from info contained your wire of the 24th.(3) Specifically assured Yahya that President is personally involved in all aspects of the problem.
2. Yahya is continuing to exercise maximum restraint, but expressed regretfully that there was limit thereto in event India renews attacks. Immediately bought my suggestion that he ask for UN observers on Pak side of border even though none stationed on Indian side.
3. If tilt towards Pakistan becomes evident, and as further proof of GOI’s military aggression becomes public, you might wish consider cut-off of military spare parts to India as evidence even-handed policy in subcontinent.





Footnotes:


2 This conversation was also reported to the Department of State in telegram 11696 from Islamabad, November 26. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL INDIA–PAK)
3 Document 201.