As the war in East Pakistan spread further to draw India into hostilities in early December 1971, Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin, on behalf of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, urged the United States to take effective steps to maintain peace in the region.
The USSR alleged that US President Richard Nixon, a key ally of the military junta in Pakistan, had not acted actively enough and precisely in the same direction towards removing the main source of tension in relations between Pakistan and India.
The message addressing Nixon was sent to his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger on December 6. It said the Hindustan peninsula was heading towards a dangerous situation as a result of the actions of the Pakistani government against the population of East Pakistan.
While applying efforts to prevent an armed conflict between Pakistan and India, “we at the same time were firmly convinced -- and so frankly stated to the President [Nixon] -- that of crucial importance in this matter would be a political settlement in East Pakistan on the basis of respect for the will of its population as clearly expressed in the December 1970 elections”.
The message further said the Soviet Union came out for the speediest ending of the bloodshed and for a political settlement in East Pakistan on the basis of respect for the lawful rights and interests of its people.
“In accordance with the above the Soviet representative in the Security Council has been instructed to seek such a solution that would closely combine two questions: a proposal for an immediate cease-fire between Pakistan and India and a demand that the Government of Pakistan immediately recognize the will of the East Pakistani population as expressed in the December 1970 elections.”
The Soviet leaders expressed the hope that President Nixon would give instructions to the US representative in the Security Council to act in the same direction.
To demand a cease-fire without demanding that the elected representatives of East Pakistan be given an opportunity to decide their destiny for themselves would be “both unrealistic and unjust” with respect to that people, and would not eliminate the causes which led to the conflict, the message read.
Kissinger called President Nixon shortly after the Soviet message was received and reported that the Soviet leadership had "twitched a little bit."
He said the Soviet message proposed a Security Council resolution which called for a cease-fire and a cessation of hostilities, but made no provision for the withdrawal of troops.
Kissinger viewed the references in the message to East Pakistan rather than Bangladesh as a positive sign. He characterized the proposed resolution as unacceptable but "at least a move”.
Nixon said: "Just tell them, sorry, no withdrawal; no deal."