890h.001 Am 1/1
President Harding to Amir Amanullah Khan of Afghanistan
Great and Good Friend: I have received from the hands of G. Mohemmed Wali Khan the letter by which Your Majesty advises me of the death of your father, his late Majesty Amir Habibullah Khan, and of your ascension to the throne of Afghanistan, as well as of your desire to establish friendly diplomatic relations between the United States and Afghanistan.
While I have learned with sorrow of the tragic death of Your Majesty’s father, and offer to you my sincere sympathy in this great affliction, I congratulate Your Majesty on your ascension to the throne and trust that your reign will redound to Your Majesty’s glory and the prosperity of Afghanistan.
It is my wish that the relations between the United States and Afghanistan may always be of a friendly character, and I shall be happy to cooperate with Your Majesty to this end. I am constrained, however, to confirm to Your Majesty what was stated orally to G. Mohemmed Wali Khan, that with respect to the United States the question of the creation of a Diplomatic Mission and of the appropriate action to that end by the Congress of the United States must be reserved for further consideration.
In thanking Your Majesty for your friendly sentiments, I desire to assure you of my own good wishes for your personal happiness and for the prosperity of your country.2
Your Good Friend,
By the President:
Charles E.
Hughes
Secretary of State.
- The reception of the Afghan Mission by the President was generally accepted as according recognition to the regime of King Amanullah.↩