356. Editorial Note

Finance Minister Shoaib arrived in Washington on May 31 for an official 13-day visit. In telegram 2607 from Karachi, May 23, the Embassy explained that the purpose of his visit was to submit an “urgent request” for additional fiscal year 1959 assistance from the United States for the procurement of additional raw material imports. (Department of State, Central Files, 790D.5–MSP/5–2359) Between June 1 and 12, Shoaib held a series of conversations with Department of State officials on matters ranging from Pakistan’s economic problems and need for assistance to the Indus Waters dispute with India. He met with Rountree on June 1, Kennedy on June 2, Bell on June 3, Bartlett on June 4, and Rountree again on June 8. On July 12, Shoaib met with Acting Secretary of State Dillon. A memorandum of the conversation with Dillon is infra; memoranda of his other conversations are in Department of State, Central Files, 790D.5–MSP/6–158; 890D.00/6–259; 790D.5–MSP/6–359; 890D.00/6–459; 790D.5/6–459; 790D.5–MSP/6–859; and 790D.5622/6–859.