Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 2

690D.91/8–2251

Memorandum by Mr. William L. S. Williams of the Office of South Asian Affairs

secret

[Washington,] August 22, 1951.

[Subject:] French Interest in the Kashmir Issue

Discussion

The French Foreign Minister¹ may raise the question of the association of France with U.S.–U.K. efforts to improve Indo-Pakistan relations and to help in reaching a settlement of the Kashmir dispute. Growing French interest in this matter became evident in mid-August when the French Foreign Office expressed a wish to associate itself with the U.S. and U.K. It may be recalled that the French supported the most recent Security Council Resolution on Kashmir, which was generally favorable to Pakistan. It is possible that the basic motives for increased French interest are a wish to assert France’s position as a great power and to enhance French prestige in Muslim countries by a display of friendly concern with the problems of Pakistan, the largest and most populous of Muslim states.

French-Indian relations are adversely affected by the existence on the coast of India of four French establishments, the remnants of French colonies in India, and by India’s refusal to recognize the Associated States of Indochina. It is believed that the French attach relatively little importance to the retention of their tiny possessions in India provided a fair plebiscite, required by the French Constitution, indicates the desire of the inhabitants to become Indian citizens. We believe it is undesirable to encourage the French to enter into the same relationship with us on Indo-Pakistan affairs as that we now have with the British. We question the usefulness of support for our policies and close association with us in actions to further our policies in India and Pakistan by France, which is generally considered by Asians as devoted to unprogressive colonialism. On the other hand, we wish to maintain French support in the UN for our policies in the Kashmir issue.

Recommendation

If the French Foreign Minister should raise this subject, a reply along the following lines is suggested:

1. We welcome French interest in this difficult question and trust that France will find itself able to lend maximum support in the Security Council to any feasible recommendations that Dr. Graham may make for the solution of the Kashmir dispute.

2. If the U.S. makes any high level approaches to India and Pakistan we shall keep the French informed and advise them if they so desire of our views as to their possible contribution.

3. For the present, barring further heightening of the tension, it may be desirable to avoid giving the Indians the impression that the Western powers are “ganging up” on them.

1. Robert Schuman, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, was to attend the meetings of the Foreign Ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in Washington from September 10 through 14.