I was getting worried. No food was coming in for 20 minutes. [Laughter]. I didn't see how I was going to live through it. [Laughter]. [to Rumsfeld] See, I have gained 5 pounds here on every visit.
We can discuss that in great detail too. I mean about Iran, not about food. [Laughter]
In other parts of the world: I took a trip to India, as you know. As I explained to your Ambassador, my primary purpose was contributing to giving India another opening except [besides] total reliance on the Soviet Union. Our assessment is India's intentions in Southeast Asia are hegemonial, and that they would like to reduce all neighboring countries to the status of Bhutan, and that we are not prepared to accept.
Ch'iao: May I insert something here? As I recall it, the Doctor made a speech to some scholarly association in which he said about the leading position of India on the sub-continent.
Kissinger: No, I said that India, as the strongest country on the sub-continent had a special obligation for restraint. And the intention was to point out the necessity for restraint. At any rate, we intend during the first half of next year to resume some cash arms sales to Pakistan which will restore some relationship. I will probably have to shoot half of Mr. Lord's staff before we can execute this.
But that is the direction in which we are moving. We have invited Prime Minister Bhutto to Washington, and within a few months after that we will do it.
Now, two events that have happened since last year that we did not discuss are the internationalization of the problem of energy, and the problem of food.
We are prepared in principle to discuss these issues with you, and to explain our views to you. They are areas in which we know you are sensitive to some statements that have been made by us. We are not indifferent to cannons that are fired at us with respect to these issues. And I think we should attempt to avoid unnecessary confrontations, because we have to solve the energy problem, nor for ourselves, but because if it continues in its present form it will lead to the political disintegration of Western Europe. We can solve it for ourselves easily -- relatively easily.
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