357. AB/3–1054: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in India1
1058. Following received from USUN March 10: US observers in Kashmir.
Secretary General Hammarskjold indicated to Wadsworth March 9 he had not received formal demand from GOI on withdrawal US military observers Kashmir. However both Dayal and Menon (India) had mentioned matter to him, latter in usual inflammatory style.
Secretary General reported he would suggest to General Nimmo he gradually rotate US military observers into rear echelon posts to preclude possibility of incident. He had no intention making any arrangements for withdrawal or replacement US observers.
In Hammarskjold’s opinion, Nehru had taken fantastic position. He said it would be very unwise withdraw properly accredited members of observer team under such circumstances.
According to Protitch (Secretariat) Dayal gave Secretary General excerpt from Nehru’s speech containing statement on military observers. Dayal had not however requested official action and Secretary General did not intend do anything further unless he heard more from India he said.
Hammarskjold was more non-committal as to his course of action in event GOI makes formal demand for removal US observers. He did reiterate however he felt such demand would be wrong on its face and should not be made.
- This telegram was repeated to Karachi and London.↩