789.13/7–651: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Afghanistan 1
priority
8. UK HICOM Karachi reported Brit Emb here Afghan PriMin declined Pak GovGen invitation July 2 on grounds health but with hint that last prominent Afghan visitor Karachi (presumably Shah Wali)2 not too pleased with reception. As Afghan-Pak relations again deteriorating after border incident (Embtels 9 and 14 July 2 and 3)3 Dept wld welcome Emb suggestions re action improve sit.
In its discretion Emb shld query FonOff re intention reply Pak counterproposal (Embtel 410 June 11) and Pak suggestion re conference prevention border raids (London tel 22 May 29).4 If FonOff vague Emb might point out delay gives Pak chance to claim Afghans unwilling negotiate and ascertain whether replies are being postponed until return PriMin.
FYI GOA does not seem wish make any move now toward settlement differences possibly because govt can use Pushtoon issue to rally popular support and divert attn from domestic difficulties and because delays (with renewed intensity Kashmir problem) may enable GOA exact higher price for better relations. Emb may find other reasons also.
Emb Karachi comments requested.
- Repeated for information to Karachi as telegram 11, and to London and Paris by air.↩
- Prince Shah Wali Khan was Afghan Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Actually, the prominent visitor mentioned here was Hashim Khan, who had been Prime Minister of Afghanistan, 1929–1947. The Department made the correction in telegram 25, to Kabul, July 14, the text of which is printed on p. 1986.↩
- Telegrams 9 and 14, from Kabul, July 2 and 3, neither printed, dealt with reports of renewed tribal raids and Afghan–Pakistan fighting in the border area (689.90D/7–251 and 7–351).↩
- Same as telegram 6257, from London to Washington, May 29, not printed, repeated for information to Kabul as 22 and to Karachi as 91. It described a discussion of the current Afghan–Pakistan situation with the British Foreign Office. (689.90D/5–2951)↩