Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–8, Documents on South Asia, 1973–1976

Washington, July 16, 1974, 1900Z.

1.: Concur in basic outlines your proposed approaches to FonMin and King. Upon receipt your report of approach to FonMin and prior to audience with King, we propose call in Ambassador Khanal and advise him of our concern along lines similar to those you intend to follow.
2.: Although DEA actively continuing investigation (New Delhi office will also be involved) into Melancon case, they have advised us they have as yet turned up no further information of the sort you request per para 4 reftel. They believe Melancon is not presently in US.

Kissinger

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 623, Country Files Middle East, Nepal, Vol. 1, March 1969–July 1974. Secret; Exdis. It was drafted by Lorton, NEA/INS; cleared by NEA/RA, S/NM, DEA, INR/RNA/SOA, and NEA/INS; and approved by Laingen. It was repeated to New Delhi. Telegram 2923 from Katmandu, July 18 reported that the previous day, Cargo had confronted Foreign Minister Karki, who stated that U.S. concerns would be presented to the king. However, “Karki’s prognosis on basic drug legislation was more optimistic than others we have been receiving.” (Ibid., RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files) Over Secretary Kissinger’s name, the Department also forwarded to the Embassy a summary of DEA actions and hashish oil production techniques, noting that several large seizures in the last two years involved hashish oil smuggled from Katmandu. (Ibid., RG 84, Katmandu Embassy Files: Lot 77 F 31, SOC 11–5)↩
The Department concurred with the substance of telegram 2692 (Document 250) of July 3 and updated the Embassy on the ongoing investigation into hashish smuggling.↩