Nixon Presidential Materials 1970-11-16

Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon, Washington, undated

By Henry Kissinger

Page: 0

Foreign Relations of the United States
Volume E7
Documents on South Asia, 1969-1972

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 334, Subject Files, Items to Discuss with the President, 9 Sept 70–Dec 70. Confidential. Sent for action. A copy of this memorandum in another file indicates that Saunders drafted it on November 16. (Ibid., Box 624, Country Files, Middle East, Pakistan, Vol. III, 1 Oct 70–28 Feb 71) Kissinger told Nixon in a telephone conversation on the evening of November 16 that he would give him the proposal for relief assistance to Pakistan "the first thing in the morning.” Nixon responded: "I don’t need to see it but I want them to know we care and we care fast.” (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 365, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File)

Washington, undated

FROM:
Henry A. Kissinger

SUBJECT:
Groundwork for East Pakistan Relief

MEMORANDUM

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

ACTION 23576

MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT

Ambassador Farland has delivered your message to Yahya, and a chartered plane with an initial shipment of 1,000 tents and 10,000 blankets is on its way to Dacca. Ambassador Farland has received normal authority to use $25,000 in AID contingency funds and $100,000 in US-owned Pakistani rupees for immediate needs.

An interagency task force is in operation under Deputy AID Administrator Maurice Williams, and it is coordinating resources of private agencies. As a former AID Mission Director in Pakistan, he is our top economic assistance expert on that area.

Ambassador Farland has asked the Pakistani Government for the earliest possible indication of what assistance is needed. AID today has inventoried the resources available to the U.S. Government as follows:

1. Up to $4.7 million equivalent in Pakistani currency for non-food expenditures. [This would leave no other local currency resources available for other emergencies this fiscal year.]
2. About $35 million in Pakistani currency for development works. This would be for basic reconstruction rather than for purely relief activities.
3. Approximately $10 million remains formally uncommitted for non-food relief goods under the AID Contingency Fund. But this amount has been tentatively earmarked for short-run Cambodian needs. Up to $5 million could be made available, however.
4. The PL 480 budget ceiling would have to be raised to respond to Pakistan’s requests for food aid. This could be done on the basis of executive decision to meet Pakistan’s initial request for 50,000 tons of wheat. Since you have just approved a $72 million PL 480 agreement, it should be possible to speed up shipments under that agreement and replace what is drawn for emergency shipments later.

Against the background of these availabilities, AID is thinking about an initial commitment of up to $10 million in dollars, food and local currency for immediate relief and for assistance in restoring lands to productive use. Until we have a Pakistani request, we do not know how this compares with their assessment of the needs. Also, it does not take account of private contributions (an effort will be made to bring the Center for Voluntary Action into their coordination).

There are two choices on the next move: One would be to ask President YAHYA whether he would regard it as helpful for MAURY WILLIAMS to go to Pakistan to assess possible U.S. contributions to relief and rehabilitation. The other would be to await the Pakistani Government’s assessment over the next few days.