165. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Iraq 1
569. Cairo’s 2924.2 Neither Shawqat Aqrawi nor Luqman al-Barzani could advance Kurdish interests in Washington. On the contrary, delicate Kurdish-GOI situation might be irritated unnecessarily by conversations here with avowed Kurdish nationalists. Embassy Baghdad capable of serving as channel for conveying to USG subjects of concern to Iraqi Kurds and of making clear US positions. Department believes Kurdish representatives, while not unwelcome visit US, would experience only frustration to find reaction USG circles parallel to Embassy Baghdad’s replies and counsel.
In response numbered questions reftel: (1) United States surplus commodities are made available only after agreement with the government concerned on means to assure that the donated food will reach the intended recipients. (2) There is no truth to story reported by Kurds to Embassy Cairo officer that US has promised assistance to Kurds through third country in event fighting renewed in Iraq.
Department interested in learning more about identity “new channel” mentioned reftel.
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, POL 23-9 IRAQ. Secret. Drafted by Dinsmore; cleared by Officer-in-Charge of United Arab Republic Affairs and Syrian Arab Republic Affairs Curtis F. Jones, Davies, William D. Wolle (NEA/NE), Hallpress (AID/MR/ARD), and AID Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs James C. Flint; and approved by Jernegan. Also sent to Cairo and repeated to Beirut.↩
- Telegram 2924 from Cairo, June 2, reported that Kurdish representative Aqrawi and Luzman Barzani, son of Kurdish leader Mulla Mustafa Barzani, met with an Embassy officer in Cairo and told him that Mustafa Barzani wanted them to go to the United States to present the Kurdish case to officers in the Department. They also asked how they could be sure that U.S. rehabilitation aid given through the Iraqi Government would reach the Kurds and if it were true that the United States had promised assistance through a third country if the Kurds were driven to renewed fighting. (Ibid.)↩