No Reply From USA Yet
From Our special Representative, NEW DELHI, June 25.—There is no reply yet from the U.S. Government of India’s plca for recall of the armsladen ships, bound for Pakistan, or for an assurance that the flow of war material would not continue on the basis of “past authorizations.”
Washington, it appears, will plead inability to intercept the ships that have already left U.S. ports. But it may try to assure the Indian Government that it will plug all loopholes in enforcing the embargo on arms supply:
The delay in the American reply, according to reports reaching here, was due to intensive combing of the bureacratic jungle, and scrutiny of procedures and regulations in regard to licensing. The American authorities do not want to come out with an assurance that may be found to have been violated the next day. An official of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi went to the External Affairs Ministry today to explain the latest position.
UNI adds: The U.S. State department has said that two licences, granted to Pakistan, covering the supply of military equipment worth $9,000 have been revoked, VOA reported today. The licences were granted shortly after the March 25 embargo was placed on arms sale to Pakistan, the radio added.
According to DPA, the State Department has confirmed that three Pakistani ships loaded with U.S. military equipment have left New York Harbour. The department spokesman. Mr. Charles Ray, said yesterday that the department was intensively reviewig the “recently discovered flaw in American’s ban on sale of military items to Pakistan.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard 26.6.1971