Office of the Historian

132. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Rountree) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy)1

Washington, June 23, 1959.

SUBJECT

  • Evaluation of Recent Soviet Moves in Afghanistan

I am informed that your office has requested NEA’s evaluation of the attached telegrams from Kabul in connection with an OCB meeting (Embtels 1035 and 1047).2

We are in full agreement with Embassy Kabul that recent Soviet moves in Afghanistan have further adversely affected U.S. efforts to strengthen Afghanistan’s links with the free world and thereby reduce its dependence on the Soviet bloc.

The recent grant of $80 million by the USSR for road construction is indicative of continuous Soviets pressures to counter free world influence in Afghanistan and particularly to neutralize the U.S.-financed Pak-Afghan transit project. The construction of the strategic road from Kushka to Kandahar via Herat and Farah would enable the Soviets to expand their influence deeply into the area south of the Hindu-Kush, outflank Iran, and give the USSR a potential land invasion route into Pakistan.

Recent Soviet overtures have found considerable receptivity among senior Afghan officials because of the latter’s assessment that the present regime in Pakistan (1) constitutes a threat to Afghanistan’s national security; (2) would have its military capabilities strengthened as a result of Baghdad Pact actions pursuant to the London Declaration [Page 278] and (3) that the United States is not interested in the economic development of Afghanistan as such but rather in pre-empting the Soviets from specified fields of activity.

These developments emphasize the importance of constructive action by the Government of Pakistan to help ease the dangerous sense of frustration and isolation which is an important factor in Afghanistan’s gravitation toward the USSR. We have accordingly authorized Ambassador Byroade to proceed to Karachi to discuss the problem of Afghan-Pak rapprochement with our Ambassador in Pakistan and with leaders of the Pakistan Government.

Recent Soviet inroads further point up the necessity for effective and timely action to solve the problem of long delays in the implementation of ICA projects in Afghanistan.

  1. Source: Department of State, S/S–OCB Files: Lot 61 D 385, Afghanistan. Secret. Drafted by Bolen. Sent through William J. Sheppard, Acting Operations Coordinator. According to a covering note, this memorandum was prepared for Rountree’s use during an OCB luncheon meeting scheduled for June 24. See the editorial note, infra.↩
  2. Telegram 1047 is printed as Document 130. Regarding telegram 1035, see footnote 3 thereto.↩