Concerned over the military atrocities in East Pakistan ongoing in early June with a special focus on the Hindus, then-US Ambassador to India Kenneth B Keating urged his government to suspend military aid and put conditions on resuming economic assistance to West Pakistan.
In a conversation with the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger on June 3, the first time since Pakistan's “Operation Searchlight” that shook Keating, the Ambassador mentioned the humanitarian aspects of the problem and the four million refugees.
He felt that military aid is "just out of the question now while they are still killing in East Pakistan and refugees are fleeing across the border."
Keating added that certain conditions should be attached to any further economic assistance: (1) the killing should be stopped in East Pakistan; (2) the refugee flow should be stopped and a process should be started which would permit the beginnings of a refugee return to East Pakistan; (3) steps should be taken to achieve a political settlement.
Kissinger did not agree with Keating's views and requests.
“President has felt that we should give President Yahya a few months to see what he can work out. As the President sees it, if we approach the Pakistanis emotionally now, we would not gain anything and we might lose what ability we may have to influence the situation.”
Kissinger added: “East Pakistan will eventually become independent. This, he felt, is the Ambassador's judgment too. The problem is how to bell the cat. The President has chosen to do it gradually.
“The President has a special feeling for President Yahya. One cannot make policy on that basis, but it is a fact of life.”
About Keating's remarks on taking steps against Pakistan, Kissinger told President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office of the White House on June 4 that it was important to “buoy up Yahya for at least another month while Pakistan served as the gateway to China.”
Nixon said: "Even apart from the Chinese thing, I wouldn't do that to help the Indians, the Indians are no goddamn good."
His adviser replied that it made no sense to follow Keating's advice and get involved in the conflict in East Pakistan.
President Nixon concluded that all the Indians had in mind was to damage Pakistan.
On May 26, Kissinger told Nixon he could take credit for trying to pour calming oil on troubled waters. "You can tell the Indians to pipe down, and we'll keep Yahya happy," Kissinger said.
The conversation turned to what they saw as India's role in fostering an insurgency in East Pakistan. Nixon said that "the goddamn Indians" were promoting another war. Kissinger agreed: "They are the most aggressive goddamn people around."
Earlier, during a phone call with Kissinger on May 23, Nixon said he would cut off aid if India launched military action inside East Pakistan. Kissinger supported the view, saying there was no justification for it; India did not have a right to invade Pakistan.
Helping India would infuriate Yahya
On March 29, Nixon had wished Gen AM Yahya Khan well during a telephone conversation with Kissinger after his adviser said the military ruler had got control of East Pakistan.
During another phone call between the duo the following day, Nixon discussed with Kissinger what the US could do but help the Indians.
“…The main thing to do is to keep cool and not do anything. There's nothing in it for us either way,” he added. Kissinger replied: “It would infuriate the West Pakistanis.”
On April 6, the US Consulate General in Dhaka, Archer K Blood, lamented the silence of his government over the genocide perpetrated in East Pakistan since March 25.
As he gave a low classification to his dissent telegram deliberately to encourage broad circulation in Washington, it spread like wildfire, prompting Nixon to change his stance on Pakistan. The following day, the US government appealed to West Pakistan “publicly” for a ceasefire.
