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51
ACTION NEA-12
INFO OCT-01 ADP-00 AGR-20 EB-11 H-02 CIEP-02 NSC-10 SS-15
AID-20 PRS-01 RSR-01 RSC-01 /096 W
--------------------- 087696
R 021450 Z MAY 73
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4123
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE NEW DELHI 5150
PASS INFO AGRICULTURE
FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY SISCO FROM AMBASSADOR
E. O. 11652: N/ A
TAGS: EAGR, IN
SUBJ: SENATOR HUMPHREY TELEGRAM ON FOOD SITUATION IN
INDIA
1. I HAVE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING TELEGRAM FROM SENATOR
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY:
DEAR MR. AMBASSADOR:
I UNDERSTAND THAT VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN INDIA
HAVE REQUESTED SIZABLE AMOUNTS OF ADDITIONAL FOOD
FOR STARVING INDIANS YET HAVE RECEIVED NO FORMAL
RESPONSE FROM THE U. S. GOVERNMENT.
PLEASE ADVISE IMMEDIATELY AS TO CURRENT FOOD
SHORTAGE SITUATION IN INDIA AND WHAT SPECIFIC
ACTION IF ANY YOU ARE NOW PURSUING TO RELIEVE
THAT SITUATION. I AM ALSO SENDING A SIMILAR
COMMUNICATION TO THE COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL
ECO POLICY SINCERELY
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY, UNITED STATES SENATE
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2. I HAVE SENT THE FOLLOWING REPLY:
DEAR HUBERT: I HAVE ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OFFICE CONCERNING THE
PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL FOOD SUPPLIES FOR AMERICAN
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES OPERATING IN INDIA ABOUT WHICH
YOU WIRED ME.
THE SITUATION HERE IS AS FOLLOWS. THE GOVERNMENT
OF INDIA HAS NOT ASKED US FOR ANYTHING BEYOND THE
SIXTY MILLION DOLLARS IN FOOD WHICH WE ARE BUDGETED
TO PROVIDE THIS YEAR. IT IS NOT THE VIEW OF THE
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA THAT THERE IS ANY FOOD CRISIS
AT THIS MOMENT. I BELIEVE THEY WOULD BE AFFRONTED
BY THE TERM QTE STARVING INDIANS UNQTE. TODAY' S
PRESS CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF A MAY
DAY SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER GANDHI.
QTE: PM DENIES REPORTS OF IMPORTS
KANPUR, MAY 1. THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS. INDIRA
GANDHI, TODAY DESCRIBED AS FALSE AND MISLEADING PRESS
REPORTS THAT INDIA WOULD IMPORT SEVEN MILLION TONNES
OF FOODGRAINS.
MRS. GANDHI TOLD A MAY DAY RALLY HERE THAT SUCH
REPORTS WERE WRONG AND HAD BEEN DELIBERATELY SPREAD.
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR IMPORTING SUCH A BIG QUANTITY
OF FOODGRAINS IN VIEW OF GOOD CROP PROSPECTS. SUCH
REPORTS WERE HARMFUL TO THE COUNTRY, SHE ADDED.
IF GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO IMPORT ANY FOODGRAINS
IT WOULD BE A MUCH SMALLER QUANTITY, SHE ADDED. -- PTI
( PRESS TRUST OF INDIA) UNQTE
IF AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ASKS FOR
FURTHER HELP, I WILL BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION. IN
THE MEANTIME I TRUST THE DEPARTMENT CAN FILL YOU
IN ON DETAILS, AND THAT YOU WILL NOT HESITATE TO
CABLE ME IF YOU WANT MORE FROM HERE.
BEST.
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PAT MOYNIHAN
MOYNIHAN
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NMAFVVZCZ
*** Current Handling Restrictions *** n/a
*** Current Classification *** LIMITED OFFICIAL USE