Office of the Historian

302. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State0

Tehran, May 28, 1963, 3 p.m.

1038. I concluded telecon with Steeves ten minutes ago in which he reported that after two and a half-hours with Afghan King,1 he was unable to move him beyond agreement to give Paks confidential assurance of good behavior with Afghan wording reported in Embtel 10352 “each side would endeavor to bring about an atmosphere of good understanding, friendship and mutual trust” or to delete all reference to the matter in the communique.

On telephoning Foreign Minister for appointment to convey our latest information, he told me that a few minutes earlier agreement had been reached as result of another concession by Paks to accept confidential assurance of good behavior.

There will be a joint meeting at five o’clock local time to finalize agreed text of communique which will not be made public before tomorrow. Aram elated and asked me to celebration dinner this evening.

I recommend immediate dispatch messages of congratulations on successful outcome from President to Shah and from Secretary to Aram.

Holmes
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL AFG-PAK. Confidential; Operational Immediate. Repeated to Kabul and Karachi.↩
  2. Steeves reported on his conversation with King Zahir on May 28 in airgram A-522 from Kabul, June 2. (Ibid., POL 32-1 AFG-PAK)↩
  3. See footnotes 1 and 3, Document 301.↩