Margaret P.

Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Message Text
CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 DACCA 05293 030408Z 73 ACTION NODS-00 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 /001 W --------------------- 104832 Z 030315Z NOV 75 FM AMEMBASSY DACCA TO SECSTATE WASHDC FLASH 8531 C O N F I D E N T I A L DACCA 5293 NODIS E.O. 11652: GDS TAGS: PINS, PFOR, BG, IN SUBJECT: PLEA FOR HELP FROM PRESIDENT MOSHTAQUE AHMED 1. PRESIDENT MOSHTAQUE AHMED TELEPHONED ME AT 0810 AND WE HAD THE FOLLOWING BRIEF CONVERSATION. THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT, AS I KNEW, THERE WAS SOME TROUBLE. MOSHARRAF HAD DONE IT, HE SAID. I ASKED IF MOSHARRAF HAD SUCCEEDED AND THE PRESIDENT REPLIED THAT MOSHARRAF WANTED TO BE CHIEF OF STAFF AND THERE WERE TWO OR THREE OTHER POINTS. THE PRESIDENT HAD SAID THERE WAS NO HARM IN THIS - LET HIM COME AND TALK TO ME (THE PRESIDENT). THE PRESIDENT WENT ON TO SAY THAT MOSHARRAF HAS NOT DONE THAT BUT WAS MAKING A SHOW OF STRENGTH WITH THE MIGS. WHEN I ASKED IF MOSHARRAF HAD ALL THE MIGS UNDER HIS CONTROL, THE PRESIDENT REPLIED THAT HE HAD ONE MIG WHICH WE HAD UNDOUBTEDLY HEARD FLYING OVER THE CITY. HE SAID THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE HELPING MOSHARRAF AND THAT THE INDIANS MIGHT BE HELPING AS WELL. HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT LANGUAGE WAS OR WHAT TO REQUEST OF US, BUT HE WANTED NO BLOODSHED. HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO FIRING AS YET. HOWEVER, THERE WERE OPPOSITION TROOPS AT SAVAR TOWER (THE MAIN TRANSMITTER OF RADIO BANGLADESH) AND IT WAS UNDER THEIR CONTROL. I ASKED IF THE BASIC SITUATION WAS STILL UNDER HIS (THE PRESIDENT'S) CONTROL, AND THE PRESIDENT REPLIED "IF I CAN CLAIM THAT."HE SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THIS SITUATION BUT IN THINKING OF THE FRIENDS OF BANGLACONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 DACCA 05293 030408Z DESH HE HAD THOUGHT OF ME AND HAD DECIDED TO CALL AND LET

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

ME KNOW OF THE SITUATION. HE CONCLUDED: "IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, I LEAVE THE MATTER TO YOU." I REPLIED THAT I WAS EVEN AT THE MOMENT MEETING WITH MY SENIOR STAFF TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AND WE WERE OF COURSE IN TOUCH WITH WASHINGTON. I CLOSED THE CONVERSATION BY WISHING THE PRESIDENT GOOD LUCK. 2. WHILE HIS MANNER WAS LOW-KEY, THE PRESIDENT'S HIGHLY AGITATED STATE WAS BETRAYED BY A STUTTERING WHICH IS NOT NOTICEABLE DURING HIS NORMAL CONVERSATION. 3. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT HAS IDENTIFIED THE SOVIETS AS ALLIED WITH MOSHARRAF, AND HAS EXPRESSED HIS SUSPICION OF INDIAN INVOLVEMENT, WE AS YET HAVE NO OTHER INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THIS, ALTHOUGH SUCH POSSIBILITIES CLEARLY CANNOT BE DISMISSED. THE DEPARTMENT MAY WISH TO CONSIDER BEING IN TOUCH WITH THE SOVIET AND INDIAN GOVERNMENTS ATNLEAST TO SHARE OUR CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION HERE AND TO INDICATE THE DESIRABILITY FOR RESTRAINT ON ALL SIDES. 3. DEPARTMENT REPEAT AS DESIRED. BOSTER

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Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Message Attributes
Automatic Decaptioning: X Capture Date: 01 JAN 1994 Channel Indicators: n/a Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Concepts: GOVERNMENT OVERTHROW, INTERVENTION, INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION, FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, CAT-C Control Number: n/a Copy: SINGLE Draft Date: 03 NOV 1975 Decaption Date: 01 JAN 1960 Decaption Note: Disposition Action: RELEASED Disposition Approved on Date: Disposition Authority: KelleyW0 Disposition Case Number: n/a Disposition Comment: 25 YEAR REVIEW Disposition Date: 28 MAY 2004 Disposition Event: Disposition History: n/a Disposition Reason: Disposition Remarks: Document Number: 1975DACCA05293 Document Source: CORE Document Unique ID: 00 Drafter: n/a Enclosure: n/a Executive Order: GS Errors: N/A Film Number: P850106-2552 From: DACCA Handling Restrictions: n/a Image Path: ISecure: 1 Legacy Key: link1975/newtext/t19751181/aaaacuvg.tel Line Count: 84 Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM Office: ACTION NODS Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL Original Handling Restrictions: n/a Original Previous Classification: n/a Original Previous Handling Restrictions: NODIS Page Count: 2 Previous Channel Indicators: n/a Previous Classification: CONFIDENTIAL Previous Handling Restrictions: NODIS Reference: n/a Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED Review Authority: KelleyW0 Review Comment: n/a Review Content Flags: Review Date: 04 AUG 2003 Review Event: Review Exemptions: n/a Review History: RELEASED <04 AUG 2003 by izenbei0>; APPROVED <24 NOV 2003 by KelleyW0> Review Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 Review Media Identifier: Review Referrals: n/a Review Release Date: n/a Review Release Event: n/a Review Transfer Date: Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a Secure: OPEN Status: NATIVE Subject: PLEA FOR HELP FROM PRESIDENT MOSHTAQUE AHMED TAGS: PFOR, PINS, BG, IN, UR, US, (MUSHTAQUE AHMED, KHONDAKAR), (MOSHARRAF) To: STATE Type: TE Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006