689.90D/11–854
The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge)1
Dear Cabot: Thank you very much for your letter dated November 8 referring to your conversations with Prince Naim and Prince Aly Khan regarding a possible merger between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
As you know, following discussions between Pakistan and Afghan representatives in Karachi last March during which the possibility of some form of confederation was explored, we have been following this problem very closely.
United States policy toward Afghanistan presently is being studied in the working levels of the National Security Council and within a few weeks I expect to have an amended policy statement in which our position with regard to confederation between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be stated.
Under certain circumstances confederation of Afghanistan and Pakistan might be to our national interest. However, there are a number of considerations which lead me to believe that the United States should not play any public role in bringing about confederation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. We see confederation as the product of an indigenous evolutionary process covering a considerable period of time during which we would attempt to encourage closer relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan by economic assistance and other means. Conspicuous United States activity, however, might alarm India and the Soviet Union to a degree which would be harmful to Afghanistan and render a confederation impossible. Furthermore, internal political conditions in Pakistan and the known hostility between Pakistan and Afghanistan make it desirable for us to act with caution and, to be effective, secretly at least for the time being.
[Page 1434]As soon as the NSC policy paper is approved, I shall have a copy sent to you.2
Sincerely yours,