বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
In 1967 the policy was further modified to permit the sale of ammunition and spare parts for those items of military equipment, such as aircraft and tanks, provided by the United States prior to the 1965 Indo-Pakistan conflict. A one-time exception to the continuing embargo on lethal equipment was announced in October, 1970. This authorized the sale to Pakistan of 300 armored personnel carriers and about 20 aircraft.
This policy on military supply to Pakistan has been based on the judgment that it is desirable for the United States to continue to supply limited quantities of military items to Pakistan to enable us to maintain a constructive political relationship. We have also wanted to ensure that Pakistan is not compelled to rely exclusively on other Sources of Supply.
The Government of Pakistan purchases Munitions List items either through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program or commercially from the manufacturer or distributor. Items under the FMS program arc purchased either from stocks which are under direct Department of Defense control or from the Defense Department's commercial contractors. All equipment either obtained commercially or delivered under the FMS program to Pakistan Government representatives in the United States must be licensed for export by the State Department's Office of Munitions Control before it may be exported.
There are also items which are common to military as well as civilian use (such as certain automobile and truck spare parts) which are not on the Munitions List, but which may require a Department of Commerce license.
In light of the outbreak of fighting in East Pakistan on March 25-26, we have taken certain interim actions with regard to military supply for Pakistan. While no formal embargo was imposed, the following interim actions were taken in early April:
(A) A hold was put on delivery of FMS items from Department of Defense stocks; no such items have been released to Pakistan since then.
(B) The Department of State's Office of Munitions Control has suspended the issuance of new licenses and renewal of expired licenses (valid for one year) for items on the Munitions List-for either FMS or commercial sales.
(C) We have held in abeyance any action on the one-time exception arms supply offer announced last October; no item in that offer has been delivered to Pakistan or its agents, and nothing is scheduled for delivery.
By early April, when these interim actions were taken, the Government of Pakistan or its agents had obtained legal title to, and were in possession of, some items still physically in the United States. In addition DOD commercial contractors under the FMS program, and other commercial suppliers, continued to utilize valid licenses issued before the actions taken in early April. Some of these items, legally the property of the Government of Pakistan, have been shipped to Pakistan from U. S. ports and it is likely that additional military supplies, under valid licenses, will be shipped in the future.
Our overall military supply policy toward Pakistan continues under close review.
