862.20290H/12: Telegram
The Minister in Afghanistan (Engert) to the Secretary of State
Kabul, June 17,
1943—11 a.m.
[Received June 18—8:28 a.m.]
[Received June 18—8:28 a.m.]
120. My 119, June 13, 9 a.m.
- 1.
- As the British Minister has heard nothing further from the Afghan Government since his interview with the Foreign Minister [Page 45] reported in paragraph 3 of my telegram 113, June 3, 10 p.m., he called on him yesterday and asked if the three conspirators had been arrested. The Foreign Minister replied that they had not but gave his word of honor that they would be.
- 2.
- Regarding the 33 others he said they had been warned that they must desist from any subversive activities[;] for several reasons, Sir Francis replied that this was not enough and insisted that they be placed under the strictest surveillance. Foreign Minister promised it would be done.
- 3.
- The Foreign Minister said that the financial transactions of the Axis Legations were being carefully scrutinized and he would welcome information from the British authorities regarding money spent in the northwest frontier area which would indicate that Afghan vigilance was inadequate.
- 4.
- With regard to reduction of Axis Legation staffs the Minister for Foreign Affairs said it would be extremely difficult to accept the advice of the British Government as the Afghan Government had no proof that the Italian and Japanese Legations were implicated. He admitted that the German Legation had been guilty of improper activities but the German Minister had been warned that at the first recurrence of such activities the Afghan Government “would change its policy”. The Foreign Minister explained that this implied rupture of relations with Germany.
- 5.
- Sir Francis tells me that the Afghan Government’s replies are not wholly satisfactory but that he is recommending to his Government that no further action be taken for the present provided of course the promises in paragraphs 1 and 2 above are carried out with reasonable promptness.
Engert