বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (ত্রয়োদশ খণ্ড)/৫৯
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| পররাষ্ট্র দপ্তর কর্তৃক পাকিস্তানে অস্ত্র প্রেরণ প্রশ্নে কংগ্রেস সদস্য মাইকেল হ্যারিংটনের পত্রের জবাব ও এতদসংক্রান্ত বিবৃতি | প্রতিনিধি পরিষদের কার্যবিবরণী | ২৬ জুলাই, ১৯৭১ |
American Arms Shipments To Pakistan
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Washington. D. C. July 21, 1971.
House of Representatives.
Washington. D. C.
Dear Mr. Harrington: The Secretary has asked me to reply to your letter of June 29 requesting a statement of our military supply policy toward Pakistan.
In view of the considerable public interest in this matter, and with the object of clarifying misunderstandings which have arisen, we have prepared the enclosed full statement of our, policy, including an explanation of the actions we have taken as a result of the outbreak of civil strife in East Pakistan. I wish to point out that our earlier statement on military supply policy referred to the suspension of deliveries by the Department of Defense after March 25, 1971, of military equipment from its stocks under the Foreign Military Sales program. While this covered many important supply items from a military point of view, including ammunition, it did not take account of FMS and commercially supplied items previously licensed and still in the pipeline. I wish to assure you, however, that there was no intention on the Department's part deliberately to conceal or mislead.
The enclosed statement provides a complete explanation of our position on this matter, I hope this information is helpful to you. Please continue to call on me whenever you believe we might be of assistance.
David M. Abshire.
Assistant Secretary for congressional Relations.
Enclosure: Statement on Military Supply Policy.
July 1, 1971-Statement on U. S. Military Supply Policy for Pakistan
In 1965 when hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan, the United States placed an embargo on the supply of all military equipment to both countries. All grant assistance was terminated and none has been resumed except for modest military training programs.
In 1966 the embargo was modified to permit the sale to both countries of nonlethal and-items such as communications, medical and transportation equipment. In 1967 the policy was further modified to permit the sale of ammunition and spare parts for those items of military equipment, such as aircraft and tanks, provided by the United States prior to the 1965 Indo-Pakistan conflict. A one-time exception to the continuing embargo on lethal equipment was announced in October, 1970. This authorized the sale to Pakistan of 300 armored personnel carriers and about 20 aircraft.
This policy on military supply to Pakistan has been based on the judgment that it is desirable for the United States to continue to supply limited quantities of military items to Pakistan to enable us to maintain a constructive political relationship. We have also wanted to ensure that Pakistan is not compelled to rely exclusively on other Sources of Supply.
The Government of Pakistan purchases Munitions List items either through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program or commercially from the manufacturer or distributor. Items under the FMS program arc purchased either from stocks which are under direct Department of Defense control or from the Defense Department's commercial contractors. All equipment either obtained commercially or delivered under the FMS program to Pakistan Government representatives in the United States must be licensed for export by the State Department's Office of Munitions Control before it may be exported.
There are also items which are common to military as well as civilian use (such as certain automobile and truck spare parts) which are not on the Munitions List, but which may require a Department of Commerce license.
In light of the outbreak of fighting in East Pakistan on March 25-26, we have taken certain interim actions with regard to military supply for Pakistan. While no formal embargo was imposed, the following interim actions were taken in early April:
(A) A hold was put on delivery of FMS items from Department of Defense stocks; no such items have been released to Pakistan since then.
(B) The Department of State's Office of Munitions Control has suspended the issuance of new licenses and renewal of expired licenses (valid for one year) for items on the Munitions List-for either FMS or commercial sales.
(C) We have held in abeyance any action on the one-time exception arms supply offer announced last October; no item in that offer has been delivered to Pakistan or its agents, and nothing is scheduled for delivery.
By early April, when these interim actions were taken, the Government of Pakistan or its agents had obtained legal title to, and were in possession of, some items still physically in the United States. In addition DOD commercial contractors under the FMS program, and other commercial suppliers, continued to utilize valid licenses issued before the actions taken in early April. Some of these items, legally the property of the Government of Pakistan, have been shipped to Pakistan from U. S. ports and it is likely that additional military supplies, under valid licenses, will be shipped in the future.
Our overall military supply policy toward Pakistan continues under close review.