বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড
relief. A case can be made technically, politically and legally that there is a difference between the aid given India and that given to Pakistan.
33. Dr. Kissinger said to make sure that when talking about cut off of aid for India to emphasize what is cut off and not on what is being continued.
34. Dr. Kissinger then asked about evacuation. Mr. Sisco said that the Dacca evacuation had been aborted.
35. Dr. Kissinger inquired about a possible famine in East Pakistan. Mr. William said that we will not have a massive problem at this time, but by next spring this will quite likely be the case. Dr. Kissinger asked whether we will be appealed to bailout Bangladesh. Mr. Williams said that the problem would not be terribly great if we could continue to funnel 140 tons of food a month through Chittagong, but at this time nothing is moving. He further suggested that Bangladesh will need all kinds of help in the future, to which Ambassador Johnson added that Bangladesh will be an 'international basket case'. Dr. Kissinger said, however, it will not necessarily be our basket case. Mr. Williams said there is going to be need of massive assistance and resettling of refugees, transfers of population and feeding the population. Dr. Kissinger suggested that we ought to start studying this problem right now.
36. Mr. William suggested that the Indians had consistently requested refugee aid in cash. The Indians in turn will provide the food and support for the refugees. This has provided India with a reservoir of foreign currency. Dr. Kissinger also asked that this problem be looked at by tomorrow to determine whether we could provide commodities in lieu of cash. We do not want to cut off humanitarian aid. We would like to provide material rather than cash.
37. The meeting was then adjourned.
Captain, USN
-The New York Times Extension 72400
Thursday, 6 January, 1972.