357.AB/2–1252

The Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense ( Lovett )

confidential

My Dear Mr. Secretary: The Department of State has received a request from the Secretary General of the United Nations for the assignment of twelve additional United States officers for service with [Page 1188] the United Nations Military Observer Group in India–Pakistan. Similar requests have been addressed by the Secretary General to the other Governments which have provided observers for this mission.

It is the purpose of this request to restore the strength of the Observer Group to the level previously authorized. In the second quarter of 1950, the Department of State approved a United Nations proposal to increase the number of observers in India–Pakistan to sixty, thirty of whom were to be detailed by the United States. The Department of Defense concurred in this proposal and took steps to raise the United States contingent to the total requested. However, the Observer Group never reached the authorized level. In September 1950, there were forty-five observers in the field, twenty-three from the United States. There are now approximately thirty-one observers serving with this mission, seventeen from the United States. (This latter figure does not include the two United States Air Force officers on the crew of the aircraft assigned to this mission.)

In view of the importance of maintaining and insuring the full effectiveness of this Observer Group, the Department of State strongly endorses the Secretary General’s recommendation that the strength of the Group be increased. General Jacob L. Devers (United States Army, Retired), who has served as military adviser to Dr. Frank P. Graham, the United Nations Representative for India–Pakistan, has expressed his views in the enclosed communications1 as to the advisability of this increase. I would appreciate it if you could give this matter your early and favorable consideration.

Sincerely yours,

For the Secretary of State:
John D. Hickerson
Assistant Secretary
  1. Letter from Devers to Andrew W. Cordier, Dec. 3, 1951; report prepared by Devers for Graham, September 1951; neither printed.