862.20290H/14: Telegram

The Minister in Afghanistan ( Engert ) to the Secretary of State

138. My 137, July 7, 10 p.m.

1.
Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs told the British Minister today in reply to the aide-mémoire that one man had been arrested and that he hoped the arrest of the others would follow soon. Several of the 33 were being removed from the areas where they might be dangerous and the rest would be closely watched.
2.
With regard to reduction of Axis personnel he requested the British Minister to trust the Afghan Government to handle the matter in its own way which he said would be found entirely satisfactory.
3.
The Japanese engineers would leave in a few months and he promised that no Axis nationals would take their place.
4.
Axis financial transactions would continue to be closely scrutinized.

British Minister tells me he was favorably impressed by the Foreign Minister’s attitude and especially by the fact that he made no attempt to argue or to deny the Afghan Government’s responsibilities in the premises.

Please repeat this and my 137 to London if you deem it advisable.

Engert