বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড)/৫৪
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| সিনেটর জে ডাবলু ফুলব্রাইটকে লিখিত পররাষ্ট্র দপ্তর কর্মকর্তার পত্রগুচ্ছ | সিনেট বৈদেশিক সম্পর্ক কমিটির রিপোর্টঃ পরিশিষ্ট | ১৩ মে, ১৯৭১ |
(Senate Foreign Relation Committee Report Appendix-May 13, 1971, calling for the suspension of military assistance to Pakistan)
Washington, D.C., April 23, 1971.
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U. S. Senate.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Secretary has asked me to reply to your letter of April 6, 1971 indicating your concern over the situation in East Pakistan and requesting information on the use of U. S. supplied military grant assistance in East Pakistan and the -current status of discussions with the Government of Pakistan for the sale of military equipment and the status of any current shipments.
We share your concern that U. S. equipment has been used in this situation and have not been silent on the matter. Since the military action began on March 25, the Department's spokesman has expressed our concern over the reported use of American weapons, and we have done so privately to the Pakistan as well. The reports which we have received indicate that some M-24 tanks and F-86 aircraft have been observed in use in East Pakistan in recent weeks. It also seems likely that military equipment supplied to Pakistan by a number of other countries, including China, the Soviet Union and Western European countries, has also been used. Our information is fragmentary and is largely confined to first-hand reports from the cities of Dacca and Chittagong.
This U. S. origin equipment would have been provided in the late 1950's under our Military Assistance Program with Pakistan. That program, as you may know, specifically permitted the use of our assistance for the maintenance of internal security, and in the case of a 1959' agreement for the preservation of national independence and integrity, as well as for external defense. We provided equipment for Pakistan Army units only in West Pakistan since the threat was perceived to be from the north-west of that province. No equipment was supplied for the Army division in East Pakistan. However, there was no obligation on the part of the Government of Pakistan to consult with us if it in. wished to transfer equipment from one wing of the country to the other. Although we were not informed, it would appear that some U. S. supplied equipment was sent from West to East Pakistan, especially older items replaced by newer equipment in the West, as in the case of M-24 tanks,
Since we terminated MAP grant assistance and suspended military sales to Pakistan and India in 1965, we have supplied no lethal end-items to Pakistan. After resuming a limited military sales program to both countries in 1966-67, we have sold to Pakistan, pronominal for cash, only non-lethal equipment and spare pans and ammunition for arms previously supplied by us. Non-lethal items have included trainer land transport aircraft: transport equipment such as trucks and jeeps; and communications, medical engineering equipment. Ammunition in various calibers for weapons supplied prior to the enlarge in 1965 has comprised less than 15 per cent of the total sales program since 1966. We have continued to sell spare pans and ammunition in order to keep previously supplied U.S. equipment operational, in the belief that to allow this equipment to become inoperative would compel Pakistan to purchase more expensive and modem replacements, diverting resources from economic development to defense and fueling an arms race in the Subcontinent.
We have been informed by the Department of Defense that no military items have been provided to the Government of Pakistan or its agents since the outbreak of fighting in East Pakistan March 25 and nothing is now scheduled for such delivery. We are urgently reviewing this military sales program.
As you know, last October we announced a one-time exception to our military supply policy to sell Pakistan a limited quantity of arms including same armoured personnel carriers, a few replacement interceptor and bomber aircraft, and several maritime patrol aircraft. Nothing has been delivered following this decision, nothing is in the pipeline, and technical talks on this subject have not been held during the past six weeks. This matter is also being kept under review.
We are very much aware that some members of the Senate are concerned about our military supply policy toward Pakistan. Department officers are prepared to brief you and other Senators on this subject and to answer any further questions you may have.
I am enclosing a compilation of recent statements made by Department spokesmen on the situation in East Pakistan. They include several statements specifically on military supply as well as statements of official concern over the loss of life and damage, sympathy for the victims of these events, information on the food situation and expressions of hope that peaceful conditions can be restored and a peaceful accommodation achieved.
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations
Washington, D.C., April 29, 1971.
Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Acting Secretary asked me to reply to your letter of April 23, 1971, requesting reports received from posts in West and East Pakistan regarding the current crisis in that country. We have given the most careful consideration to your latter. I hope you will understand that the Department is unable to accede to your request without departing from established practice as mentioned in my letter to you of September 28, 1970, in regard to Under Secretary Irwin's appearance on Chile.
Consistent therewith and with the Administration's policy of cooperating with the Congress in providing information on foreign policy developments. Deputy Assistant Secretary Van Hollen is prepared to testify tomorrow in executive session on the situation in Pakistan. 1 trust Mr. Van Hollen's testimony can satisfy the Committee's need for information.
David M. Abshire,
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations.
Washington, D.C., April 29, 1971.
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Secretary has asked to reply to your letter of April 19 requesting coordinated Executive Branch comments on S. Cen. Res. 21, concurrent resolution calling for suspension of all American military assistance and all licenses for military sales to Pakistan “until the conflict in East Pakistan is resolved."
First let me assure you that we share the Committee's regret over the conflict which has arisen in East 'Pakistan and over the bloodshed in a country with which we have maintained longstanding friendly relations. As I mentioned to you in my letter of April 22, the Department's spokesman has noted publicly the concern felt over the involvement of American weapons and we have privately called this concern to the attention of the Government of Pakistan as well.
As I pointed out in my letter of April 22, however, our Military Assistance Programme (MAP) with Pakistan specifically acknowledged the right of that country to use equipment provided under MAP to maintain its internal security as well as its external defense. This position as contained in our 1954 bilateral Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with the Government of Pakistan was based an provisions of Congressional legislation.
Much has already been done, however, that parallels the basic concern expressed in the concurrent resolution. As you know, we terminated all grant military assistance to Pakistan and India, as a consequence of the 1965 Indo Pakistan war. We have provided no weapons to either country since then. The only measure of grant military assistance which we have reinstituted since 1965 has been a modest program of military training, running at about $.200,000 annually for each country. We believe this program serves a useful and constructive purpose in maintaining liaison and friendly ties between the armed forces of the United States and Pakistan, offering the latter a continuing avenue of contract with the West and exposure to western ideas. We would, hope this activity could continue and we would regret its suspension or termination.
With respect to military supply, as the Department's spokesman announce on April 15, the Department of Defense has informed us that no military sales items 'including spare parts and ammunition have been provided to the Government of Pakistan or its agents since the outbreak of fighting in East Pakistan on March 25. In short, no arms have been provided since the beginning of the crisis and the question of deliveries is under review.
Thus an absolute suspension, regardless of developing circumstance, would not significantly affect the military situation in East Pakistan and could have a strongly adverse political impact on our relations with Pakistan. Thus we believe same flexibility is desirable in our military supply program, in the light of developments, to permit us to preserve a viable relationship with the Government of Pakistan that will be essential if we are to help in providing assistance to those whose lives have been disrupted in the recent fighting and in rebuilding normal patterns of life.
It would, therefore, appear desirable far the U.S. to be able to continue to supply limited quantities of military items to Pakistan to enable us bath to maintain a constructive bilateral political dialogue and to help ensure that Pakistan is not compelled to rely increasingly on other sources of supply.
Finally, I would like to express our view that the time frame within which the resolution has been drafted-"until the conflict in East Pakistan is resolved" -is so imprecise as to render its application difficult if not impossible. The conflict in East Pakistan in terms of an active resistance movement appears already to have largely subsided as the Government of Pakistan has succeeded in extending its control over the chief population centers and much of the countryside of East Pakistan. The present official position of the Government of Pakistan is that the armed conflict in East Pakistan has actually ended and that economic rehabilitation and political accommodation are to be undertaken President Yahya Khan has reiterated his intention to restore Government to the elected representatives of the people as soon as circumstances permit. The difficulty in this situation would be how to determine precisely when the conflict in East Pakistan has actually been resolved.
I hope these Executive Branch comments will be helpful to you and the Committee in deciding what action to take on S. Con. Res. 21 which we hope you will reconsider in the light of the points set forth above.
The Office of Management and Budget advises that from the standpoint of the Administration's program there is no objection to the submission of this report.
Sincerely,
DAVID M. ABSHIRE,
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations.