CAB129-78 — Page 253

3

296

Page 253

8.

I am encouraged to hear from MacDonald that you found the speech helpful. The reactions in the Middle East have not been entirely disappointing. The idea of a settlement of some kind is gaining currency with the Arabs, and this is an important advance.

Our main difficulty at the next stage is with the Israelis, and we and the Americans are trying to show them that a settlement, which we are prepared to guarantee, would be so valuable to them that reasonable sacrifices would be worthwhile. I believe that if you could find it possible to make a statement even of general approval of what I said and urging a settlement the effects would be most valuable for the prospects of peace in the Middle East. have asked MacDonald to mention this to you.

I

10. Our task in regard to Palestine has been made doubly difficult by the decision of the Soviets to sell arms to Egypt. I cannot accept that this deal was in any way justified by the existence of the Bagdad Pact. On the contrary it is clearly part of a long thought out plan for the expansion of Soviet influence in the Middle East. Indeed we view it as a deliberate attempt to exacerbate a most difficult situation and to increase the dangerous tensions existing between Israel and her neighbours. In our view such evidence of the Soviet intention to intervene in the Middle East has made it more than ever important that the countries of the area should join together for defence of their liberties.

11. While I welcome your frank explanation of your difficulties over the Bagdad Pact I would like to allay your anxieties concerning Pakistan and the implications for Indo-Pakistan relations. Let me assure you that there can be no question whatever of our giving military support to one Commonwealth country against another. We have always regarded the idea of war between India and Pakistan as unthinkable and. I still cannot believe that such a prospect is seriously contemplated by the leaders of either nation. Even if it were, I cannot see that Pakistan's military position has been strengthened through membership of the Pact in such a way as could cause alarm in India.

12. In recent years as you know we in the United Kingdom have gone far out of our way to meet any requests from India to purchase arms. ¡At the same time of course we have sold to Pakistan such equipment

as she has sought to buy. It is perfectly clear however that we have supplied or contracted to supply many times as much military equipment to India as to Pakistan. It is true that Pakistan has received certain military aid from the United States. We have no detailed information, but such as we have suggests that this aid has not been on sufficient scale to justify the apprehension which you have expressed. I am sure that it cannot amount to more than a fraction of what we have supplied and are contracting to supply to

you.

13.

I have absolutely no evidence to support the suggestion that Pakistan harbours aggressive designs against India nor can I believe that their adherence to the Bagdad Pact presents any threat to India,

14. As regards Goa I have admired your statesmanship in preventing incidents with Portugal, despite the depth of feeling in India on the subject. You will know how difficult this is for us. Neverthe less we cannot view this question with anything but deep anxiety, which we have made known to the Portuguese, as we have to you.

Page 253

Page 253.