811.20 Defense (M)/10771½

The Assistant Chief of the Division of Defense Materials ( Merchant ) to the Second Secretary of the British Embassy ( Dent )

Dear John: I refer to your letter of October 2218 (reference W. T. 676/28/42) regarding certain Afghan products. In view of the apparent objections of your Government to any action in the matter under discussion, the Department telegraphed to our Legation in Kabul19 the substance of the position reported in your letter under reference.

The Department has now received an answer20 which indicates that complete agreement appears to exist between your Minister and ours as to the desirability of assisting the Afghan Government in the matter … of lambskins, wool and pistachio nuts under discussion. Our Minister points out that it is unnecessary to make any promises regarding the 1942 crop of lambskins, but he reaffirms his strong support for action, and, incidentally, reports that his British colleague has stated that Afghan wool is not wanted by India.

The request for assistance in the matter … of the materials referred to above has been made to our Minister in Kabul in a form which he obviously regards as both official and urgent. The Honorary Consul of Afghanistan in New York has strongly seconded the request, and in addition the Department has received a note from the Turkish Ambassador here21 making the identical request on behalf of Afghanistan.

[Page 59]

In the light of these requests the Department is of the opinion that any assistance in the matter which this Government can afford the Government of Afghanistan should be granted. It is planned, therefore, to request the Board of Economic Warfare … to instruct the appropriate procurement agency to purchase the products reported to be now lying at Karachi. The negotiation for their acquisition would be handled by our Minister at Kabul directly with the appropriate Afghan authorities. The Department understands that while a public purchase of this sort would qualify the materials for import under M–63, it would not necessarily result in the allocation of cargo space for their movement to this country. The immediate purpose, however, of providing a purchaser for the Afghan Government would be cared for, and with any later easing in the shipping situation, the goods could be lifted.

The tonnage and value of the materials in question are small, and in the judgment of the Department disposal of this matter along the lines intended is … desirable. In view of the fact that the agencies of your Government have evidenced no interest in acquiring the materials, the course of action described above appears entirely logical.

Sincerely yours,

Livingston T. Merchant
  1. Not printed.
  2. See telegram No. 52, October 27, 6 p.m., to the Minister in Afghanistan, p. 57.
  3. Supra.
  4. Dated August 6, 1942, not printed.