142. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, October 13, 19591
SUBJECT
- Afghanistan’s Relations with the U.S.S.R.—Independence as the Key Issue
PARTICIPANTS
- The Secretary
- H.R.H. Prince Mohammad Naim, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Afghanistan
- H.E. Mohammed Hashim Maiwandwal, Ambassador of Afghanistan
- H.E. Abdul Rahman Pazhwak, Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations
- NEA—Mr. G. Lewis Jones
- SOA—Frederic P. Bartlett
Background of Conversation
Prince Naim came to the United States principally for medical care in New York. He took the occasion of his stay in that city to visit Washington in order, among other purposes, to call upon the Secretary. His conversation with the Secretary centered around three subjects—Afghanistan’s relations with the U.S.S.R., with Iran and with Pakistan. The present memorandum covers the first subject.2
Substance of Conversation
The Afghan Foreign Minister stressed that for hundreds of years Afghanistan had fought valiantly to maintain its independence and its freedom. These remained the basic objectives of his Government. In the case of Afghanistan independence, however, in turn depended on the Government’s assuring its people a reasonable degree of economic progress. Otherwise they could be exploited by outside forces. Given the fact that Afghanistan was unfortunately very underdeveloped, such economic progress in turn depended upon outside assistance. Like many other countries, Afghanistan had come and continues to come first to the United States for help. It had gratefully received substantial assistance from the United States, but its feeling of friendship for the United States was based not only on its gratitude for material things, but on moral foundations as well. In spite of United States assistance, however, there had remained gaps in Afghanistan’s economic requirements. To help fill these it had had no other alternative than to turn to the Soviet Union.
The Secretary replied that the United States Government understood the Afghanistan Government’s need to assure the economic progress of its people. The United States Government also was aware of the Afghanistan Government’s feeling that it had been and was necessary to look to the north for certain assistance. Obviously the United States Government with its limited resources and worldwide commitments was not in a position to “compete” with the Soviet Government in the economic aid field. However, the Secretary hoped that the United States Government could and would improve the way in which its economic aid was administered. If the United States or Afghanistan’s other friends appeared nervous over the degree to which Afghanistan was relying upon the Soviet Union for economic assistance, the Secretary said it was only because Afghanistan’s friends’ sole desire was that Afghanistan itself remain free and independent. [Page 303] This concern over Afghanistan’s reliance upon the U.S.S.R. had now been mitigated, the Secretary concluded, by the assurances just given by the Foreign Minister.