Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Zafrullah Khan

871 1450 THEAR s/s IDENTTAL ARCHIVES RECORDS SERVICE AND cy to mAsty 9/19/51 U. s. DELEGATION JAPANESE PEACE DELEGATION 270 MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION September 4, 1951 SUBJECT: Visit of Sir Zafrulla Kahn, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pakistan PARTICIPANTS: Sir Zafrulla Kahn and Secretary of State Dean Acheson COPIES TO: S - Mr. Battle After the customary greetings between the Secretary and Sir Zafrulla Kahn, the latter expressed the hope that the Conference would run a smooth course and not extend beyond the expected time scheduled and then inquired concerning the attitude the Soviets could be expected to take during the course of the projected plenary meetings. In reply the Secretary set forth his thoughts in regard to this and added that if adequate control would fail to be exercised over efforts to disturb the meeting or place obstacles in the way in the achieving of its purpose, it is conceivable to foresee that the Conference could deteriorate into chaos devoid of all dignity. Sir Zafrulla, in mentioning the purpose of his visit, briefly set forth how he came to be asked by the Pakistani Prime Minister to spearhead his country's delegation. He said that it vas felt that he (Zafrulla) should head the delegation even though his presence in Karachi could ill be spared. His government was bound to demonstrate, to the fullest extent it could, the importance Pakistan attached to the successful outcome of the Conference and wanted Sir Zafrulla to lead his delegation even though it might become neces- sary for him to return before the signing of the Treaty, in which case the Pakistan Ambassador in Washington could be authorized to sign. Sir Zafrulla spent some time in setting forth what he thought of India's attitude in refusing to participate in the Conference; hov that country seemed bent on having its own interpretation of problems facing it and Pakistan prevail, and questioned the logic of its objections to certain of the proposed Japanese Treaty provisions. He seemed to think that Mr. Nehru vanted to play the leading role in Asia which he must realize he could not accomplish suc- cessfully with China and Mao Tse Tung just to the north of India. He reported on the increasingly delicate rituation evolving between Pakistan and India; and/ DECLASSIFIED CONT DENTIA E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (1) 5-12-76 Dapt. of State letter, NLT. He + NARS Date 6.3076