U.S. TO CONTINUE ARMS SHIPMENTS TO PAKISTAN
Rawalpindi, July 8 (AP).
The United States has assured Pakistan it will not interfere with four or five more shiploads of millitary spare parts and ammunition purchased by Pakistan in the U.S. under license and still scheduled to arrive here, Foreign Office sources said Wednesday.
According to Foreign Office sources, the U.S. has ruled it will not issue new licences to Pakistan but will permit Pakistan to continue shipments of material purchased under existing licences.
The source said the parts and ammunition were purchased in commercial deals but did not disclose the terms.
A U.S. Embassy source said Pakistani purchases of spares and ammunition amounted to about 20 million dollars annually and had been going on regularly since 1967 when the U.S. partially lifted a ban on sales of military equipment imposed during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan.
The U.S. had announced the military sales and economic assistance program were under review as a result of army action in March against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League in East Pakistan.
Pakistan and American sources said the Kissinger Mission was part of an effort to reduce tension and lossen the chances for war over the rebelious east between India and Pakistan.
A Pakistan foreign office official said as a result of American policy toward Pakistan. “The US. is no longer a target for criticism here and people no longer believe the U.S. wants to see the division of Pakistan.”
U.S. official here said the policy of poviding limited amounts of aid for relief project and allowing arms shipments has given the U.S. an opportunity to hold a Private Dialogue” with the Pakistan military regime in an effort to find a solution to the East Pakistan Crisis.
Kissinger will meet Military President Gen. Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Thursday for talks and a private dinner a few hours after his 0700 GMT arrival Thursday.
He will meet the President for the second round of talks Friday and will be his guest at a formal dinner Friday night. In addtion he will have separate meetings with officials concerned with foreign affairs and with economic aid of which the U.S. is the major contributor to Pakistan.
Reference : Indonesian Observer, 09.07.1971