Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation,
lot 64 D 199
However, should the issue remain unsolved while Pakistan’s economy,
productivity and military strength is increased, as a result of U.S.
aid, the increased imbalance of strength between the two countries
would be of serious concern to Afghanistan. The imbalance would work
adversely against a solution of Afghan–Pakistan differences. The
relatively slower rate of economic development in Afghanistan would
be difficult for the Government to explain to the Afghan people, who
aspire, as do the Pakistanis and Iranians, to a better way of life.
Finally, the development of other countries in the area,
particularly Pakistan and Iran, would constitute a vacuum in
Afghanistan which would invite pressure from an undesirable
ideology.
Concluding, the Ambassador observed that Afghanistan has long
occupied the position of a keystone in the arch between the Middle
East and the Indian Subcontinent, lying astride historic routes of
invasion and commerce. Strategically speaking, Afghanistan lies
within the perimeter of an area defense concept; the Hindu Kush has
been the traditional physical and ideological bulwark of the
Subcontinent. The Ambassador said that he was advancing the
foregoing considerations now on behalf of his Government for the
attention of the U.S. Government in its plans for the area. He left
with the Secretary an informal memorandum (the text of which is
attached) presenting his Government’s views in somewhat more
detail.
The Secretary replied that the U.S. Government was studying the
possibility of a military assistance program for Pakistan, but that
a decision had not yet been taken. He assured the Ambassador that in
arriving at a decision the considerations he had advanced would be
taken into account. The Secretary said further that a military aid
program for Pakistan would have the objective of increasing the
defense capacity of that nation and that it is not our desire to
make one country strong at the peril of a neighbor. He expected that
in any agreement with Pakistan adequate safeguards would be provided
for
[Page 1409]
against the
aggressive use of its increased military strength. The Secretary
observed that the Ambassador had advanced a difficult problem: that
of attempting to maintain a condition of equilibrium in an area
characterized by local disputes. Nevertheless, he said, we cannot
permit such disputes to perpetuate an area of weakness which can
otherwise be remedied. The Secretary reiterated in conclusion that
the views of the Afghan Government would be taken into full
account.
[Attachment]
Note Presented by the Ambassador of
Afghanistan (Ludin)
[Washington,] January 5,
1954.
We understand and appreciate the underlying principle of the
foreign policy of the United States of America, which is
strengthening economically and militarily the free and
independent nations of the world to preserve their freedom and
independence. Strengthening of each nation adds up to the
collective strength of peoples who are anxious to preserve their
character, identity and independence.
It is in this light that we look upon the strengthening,
economically and defense-wise of our part of the world,
generally referred to as the Middle East. We welcome a move that
would raise the standard of living of these peoples and provide
them with a stake in life, and a means to preserve that stake,
as well as their identity and independence. However, there is
some preliminary ground work to be done in order to make this
Help Program both effective and efficient. The aid that the
Government of the United States has rendered to Pakistan, in the
food and technical fields, as well as the military and further
economic assistance which the United States Government intends
to give to Pakistan are points relevant to our present
consideration.
We appreciate more than anyone else that the passes which cut
through Hindu Kush and Sulaimen range of mountains, to wit:
Khawak, Shiber-Shikari, Salung, Bamyan, Khayber, Gomal and
Bolan, are critical sections of the important land routes that
debouch into the Indian Subcontinent. The routes traversing
these passes, have been, throughout historic periods and in
prehistoric times, the main highways of migration, invasion, and
commerce, as well as the passageways for the traffic of ideas
and thoughts. This area will inevitably be the keystone of the
arch of any future scheme of defense for the free world in the
Middle East. The area betwen Oxus and Indus, and beyond that to
the Arabian Sea, is one defensive unit. It has been so
throughout history. The mountain citadel in this area has always
been the abode of freedom loving peoples. The strengthening,
economically and militarily, of the people inhabiting this area
to preserve their freedom is an obvious necessity of the defense
of this part of the world.
[Page 1410]
My Government is prepared to cooperate to the fullest extent
possible with the United States, Pakistan, and others, in order
to realize the full economic and defense potentialities of this
area. However there is one reservation, one essential
prerequisite to this full and harmonious cooperation, and that
is the solution of the problem of our kinfolks, the inhabitants
of Pashtoonistan. We do not believe the solution of this problem
to be insurmountable or even excessively difficult. Given a
mutual good will and understanding and a statesmanlike
appreciation of this problem in the general context of the world
situation, we are confident that the matter will be solved. At
least important steps can be taken immediately toward its
solution. A high level conference between representatives of
Afghanistan and Pakistan will be an important step towards the
solution of the problem. In this connection I should like to
mention that Afghanistan accepted the proposal of the friendly
good offices of the United States. Our acceptance of it still
stands.
However, if the question of Pashtoonistan is not solved, and
Pakistan continues to be strengthened economically and
militarily by the United States, we will be less than honest and
frank with our very dear friends, the American Government and
people, if we do not express our anxiety and vital concern
regarding a critical condition that such a course of action will
bring about:
- 1.
- The balance of power in this part of the world will be
upset. The relative defense strength of Afghanistan will
suffer an irreparable damage. The security of the nation
will be completely jeopardized. The Government of
Afghanistan will be under critical questioning and
pressure by its people for not having coped with this
situation.
- 2.
- With other Countries of the Middle East, especially
our neighbors, Pakistan and Iran having been
strengthened by the United States, there will remain an
economic and power vacuum in Afghanistan which will
entail a political and ideological vacuum as
well.
We should not like to be alarmist but the resultant situation
seems to be desperate indeed. We do not wish to state that
history repeats itself in every instance and in all detail, but
we should like to point out that the very germs of Hinduism were
brought by the Aryan migrants from their first abodes in the
Valleys of Hindukush. Afghanistan was the instrument or the
agency that The Almighty chose to send forth the religion of
Islam into India. The faith of Islam, the arabic script, the
Urdu language, the cultural heritages, the factors which
distinguish Muslim Pakistan from Hindu India were brought to the
subcontinent mainly by the Afghans.
Conversely, the effective defense, the bulwark against physical
or ideological invasion of the subcontinent has been in the
country of Hindukush. If Afghanistan should succumb to an
economic and political collapse, and an ideology foreign to its
history and tradition should
[Page 1411]
overtake it, partly because of the
cataclysmic events over which we have no control, and partly
because of the lack of interest in its fate by the free world
and its leaders, that will indeed be a dark day in the history
of Asia. It will be a great blow to the free world and to
humanity as well.
However, we are hopeful and confident that the wisdom of
statesmen will find an amicable solution for the problem which
now separates us from joining in a common effort to preserve our
common freedom and independence, and that such a day will never
come.
We are hopeful and confident that such an eventuality shall be
warded off and that such a bleak day shall never come to pass.
God was pleased to choose our people as His instrument to
propagate the light of Islam in the subcontinent and to hold in
common with one hundred million people the same faith and
beliefs. They are out natural friends and sympathizers. We wish
to strengthen this mutual friendship by preserving our identity
and independence and by respecting the natural desires of others
to cherish the same privileges.
