On the morning of December 16, 1971, US President's Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger telephoned his boss, Richard Nixon, to congratulate him as India had declared a unilateral cease-fire in West Pakistan.
“We have made it,” he told Nixon. “…[India] ordered forces to stop fighting.”
The president wanted to know whether India had taken any territory, especially Kashmir.
“In West have some desert and Pakistanis have taken a bit of Kashmir. Major is to stop defeat of Pakistan army,” Kissinger replied, adding that the news came from an official announcement.
“It's the Russians working for us. We have to get the story out,” Nixon said.
“Already a call from State. Until this morning we were running the UN thing. Now they are and say they will go over resolution. They are pulling off the British Resolution. You pulled it through and should take credit. I will give a backgrounder tomorrow afternoon,” Kissinger said.
Nixon asked him to get people in and set the story for the weekly news magazines. “Time might write best analysis of crisis. You really feel that they mean -- let me come back to it. You were bearish last night.”
In reply, Kissinger explained that he had felt nothing would happen until Dhaka fell. “Soviets were dragging their feet because Indians took longer on taking Dacca then they figured. So this morning I said next 24 hours will tell.”
Nixon said: “If Soviets have cooperated on this I think we have got to play on an arms-length deal.”
Kissinger said: “Absolutely. So far they have not done anything. Indians did official doing. But I am sure it's Soviets that produced it… UN resolution making it official. When in for weeks they want to come out and mastermind it. We have agreed to the British. Chinese are set with it. I will say I have talked with you and it is what you want done.”
Stance on aid cut
Kissinger said the US had $300 million for South Asia in aid, of which $200 million was meant for Pakistan and “rest we will hold”.
Nixon said: “Give it to Ceylon.”
Kissinger added: “Then we don't get argument we are cutting it. We can give agricultural stuff to India for economic relief.”
The president replied: “They have to pay for aid.”
Kissinger then congratulated Nixon, saying “You saved W[est] Pakistan.”
The duo had another telephone conversation at 12:15pm.
Nixon said he had told the State Department to take a hardline on economic assistance thing. “Don't do it publicly. That's the line, don't you agree?” Kissinger agreed.
“On your background, that's the way I would play it. Don't bust India publicly. It's where we want to have effect,” Nixon said.
“She's written a letter to you asking where she went wrong. The policy is working,” said Kissinger.
