U.S. Department of State

 CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 01   STATE 122987

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ORIGIN    NEA-12

  INFO OCT-01    ADP-00   IO-13   CIAE-00   DODE-00   PM-07   H-02   INR-10

       L-03   NSAE-00   NSC-10   PA-03   RSC-01   PRS-01   SS-15   USIA-12

       EA-11   EUR-25   AID-20  /146  R

DRAFTED BY NEA/ PAB: LBLESSER: MRC

6/22/73 EXT 21453

APPROVED BY NEA: JJSISCO

NEA/ PAB: PDCONSTABLE

NEA/ RA: SSCHIFF

                       ---------------------       032407

R 222230 Z JUN 73

FM SECSTATE WASHDC

TO AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 122987

SUBJECT:   CENTO:   CONVERSATION BETWEEN ASST.  SECY.  SISCO

AND PAKISTAN AMB.

REF:   STATE 121833

1.   DURING SISCO- KHAN MEETING JUNE 19 (MAINLY CONCERNING

PAK- BD ISSUE, REPORTED SEPTEL) SISCO RAISED SUBJECT OF

CENTO.   HE OBSERVED THAT JUST- COMPLETED CENTO MEETING HAD

GONE WELL IN THAT SERIOUS AND GENUINE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS

OCCURRED.   SISCO STATED THAT USG UNDERSTANDS GOP RESERVA-

TIONS ABOUT THE VALUE OF CENTO FOR PAKISTAN, STEMMING

FROM FEELING THAT PAKISTAN SOMEWHAT ISOLATED WITHIN

ORGANIZATION AND THAT CENTO UNABLE TO HELP PAKISTAN IN

TERMS OF ITS MOST PRESSING SECURITY PROBLEM, I.E.  ITS

RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIA.   REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE

CENTO CANNOT SOLVE "INTRA- REGIONAL DISPUTES,"HOWEVER.

SISCO URGED GOP TO CONSIDER TAKING A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN

CENTO, IN ORDER TO BE MORE INFLUENTIAL WITHIN THE

ORGANIZATION AND TO MAKE THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF MORE

EFFECTIVE.   SISCO REFERRED TO SECRETARY ROGERS' PITCH

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ALONG SAME LINES TO AZIZ AHMED DURING CENTO MEETING.

2.   AMB.  KHAN ASKED HOW GOP WOULD PLACE ITSELF MORE IN

FOREFRONT REGIONALLY.   SISCO REPLIED THAT LEVEL OF REPRE-

SENTATION AT CEN MEETINGS SHOULD BE KEPT HIGH AND THAT

GOP SHOULD TAKE ACTIVE PART IN NUDGING ORGANIZATION TO

MEET ITS DESIRES.   KHAN OBSERVED THAT WITHOUT AN ACTIVE

ROLE BY THE USG POWER OF THE REGIONAL MEMBERS OF CENTO

IS NOT GREAT.   SISCO RESPONDED THAT GIVEN THE PRESENT

DISPOSITION IN THE US THE ONLY HOPE FOR ORGANIZATIONS

SUCH AS CENTO TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE FUTURE IS FOR

REGIONAL MEMBERS TO DISPLAY ENTHUSIASM FOR THEM.   KHAN

SAID THAT THERE IS BALANCE TO BE SOUGHT BETWEEN

UNREALISTICALLY HIGH EXPECTATIONS FROM ORGANIZATION

AND HALF- HEARTED TOKEN PARTICIPATION.   SISCO AGREED.

3.   WE ARE REPEATING TO YOU IN SEPTEL REPORT ON CENTO

MEETING.

4.   POINTS YOU MIGHT EMPHASIZE TO AZIZ AHMED ARE:

    A)   THAT WE BELIEVE CENTO IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT

FOR POLITICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS TO PAKISTAN

THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.

    B)   WE DO NOT BELIEVE IT IN CENTO INTEREST TO

BECOME INVOLVED IN REGIONAL DISPUTES.

    C)   IF PAKS HAVE ANY SPECIFIC IDEAS HOW TO STRENGTHEN

CENTO, WE WILLING TO CONSIDER THEM.

    D)   WE WELCOME MORE EMPHASIS BEING GIVEN BY CENTO

TO THREAT OF SUBVERSION.    RUSH

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