1952: US Ambassador in Pak Cables Washington

“Yesterday, (the) PM confirmed the impression I had the night before from Graham that Pakistan is prepared to make concessions on the quantum of troops remaining (on) both sides in Kashmir under (the) Graham demilitarization schedule. Zafrulla said (that) he regarded the decision on the minimum number of troops required as a mil(itary) opinion and that he had suggested to Graham the desirability of informing himself on the relative number rather than the question of ratio which might be a poli(tical) question by getting India to agree that the two commanders-in-chief with Graham should try to work it out. The Pakistanis do not believe (that) India would take such a chance even with her own military. Graham knows from what I told him of the Pak mil(itary) opinion how broad-minded and imaginative they are in this respect. The fact that the Pak mil(itary) have no quarrel with Indian troop numbers so long as their artillery goes out could be useful to Graham provided there were no polit(ical) reservations, and this Zafrulla seems to be willing to concede. The Foreign Minister also said that Graham told him when he came to say goodbye accompanied by Marin that he felt confident Nehru would agree to the other points in his program including the installation of the Plebiscite administrator once the mil(itary) consideration was out of the way.

Warren”

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