689.90D/4–451: Telegram
The Ambassador in Pakistan (Warren) to the Secretary of State
915. FonSecy told me this a. m. of report he had yesterday from the Pak Chargé Kabul1 detailing a conv with Saudi Arabia Min [Page 1953] there.2 The Russian Amb at Kabul3 in conv with Saudi Arabian Min said the Sov views sympathetically Afghan’s aspirations for Pushtoonistan on the ground of racial affinity of the tribal population.
The Saudi Arabian then pointed out that Pak is known throughout the Muslim world for its opposition to imperialism and colonialism and that Sov must understand that any attitude taken by Russia against Pak on an issue such as Pushtoonistan will arouse a strong resentment in every Muslim country. He added that many of the Muslim states have tried to prevail on Afghans to withdraw the Pushtoonistan issue in order promote Islamic solidarity.
The Sov Amb according to the report said he wld present the Saudi Arabian’s point of view to Moscow.
The FonSecy is communicating this info today to the UK HICOM4 also. He said the Saudi Arabian Min is a responsible source of info and the report for that reason has weight.
Ikramullah said this is the first time the Sov has indicated interest in Pushtoonistan and raises several speculative assumptions; (1) If Sov expansionism continues to operate on the principle of limited objectives then the Hindu Kush wld no longer be considered as a probable limit of Sov influence. Instead the Indus, including the port of Karachi must now be assumed to be the new frontier of expansionist thinking, (2) in the event India shld withdraw its sympathetic attitude toward Pushtoonistan the Sov is ready to take its place if for no other reason than insure the continuance of friction between Afghans and Paks.
Repeated info Kabul 44.