Afghanistan, 1969–1972
[Page 1]354. Telegram 22013 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Afghanistan
The Department transmitted its narcotics control plan for Afghanistan.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 11-5 AFG. Confidential. Drafted on February 7 by Robert A. Flaten (NEA/PAF), cleared by Laingen and with the NEA Inter-Agency Working Group on Narcotics, and approved by Davies.
355. Telegram 884 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
The Embassy “brought home” the narcotics problem to Afghan officials by stimulating and circulating foreign press coverage of the problem.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 11–5 AFG. Confidential. Also sent to USIA. Sent as a joint USIS/Embassy message.
356. Telegram 956 From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State
Ambassador Gross reported that, although adverse weather prevented him from visiting Afghanistan, he had conveyed through an Afghan official President Nixon’s message concerning cooperative efforts to control opium production in Afghanistan.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, ORG 7 S/NM. Confidential. Repeated to Ankara, Islamabad, Geneva, Kabul, Paris, and USUN. Nelson Gross was the Secretary’s Coordinator for International Narcotics Affairs. The reference to a single convention is to the Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs, signed in New York on March 30, 1961. (18 UST 1407)
357. Airgram Toaid A-71 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Agency for International Development
The AID mission within the Embassy assessed U.S. efforts to help the Afghan Government deal with the impact of drought and concluded that continuing U.S support would help Afghanistan with the aftermath of the crisis.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Unclassified. Drafted in the AID mission by Charles L. Husick, cleared in the mission by Albert R. Baron, John R. Wilson, Alfonso D. Dominquez, and Cecil H. Uyehara; also cleared in the Embassy by David H. Cohn and Louis L. Mitchell, Jr., and approved by mission director Bartlett Harvey. A notation on the airgram indicates it was received on March 27.
358. Telegram 52513 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Afghanistan
The Department expressed concern that domestic pressures in Afghanistan and Pakistan might be pushing both countries toward another confrontation over the Pushtunistan issue. The Embassies in Kabul and Islamabad were instructed to counsel restraint.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL AFG-PAK. Confidential. Drafted on March 27 by Flaten (NEA/PAF), cleared in NEA/PAF by Peter Constable and Laingen, and with EUR/SOV, and approved by Van Hollen. Also sent to Islamabad. Repeated to Moscow, New Delhi, Tehran, and London. The reference to a recent Moscow speech is to a speech made by Prime Minister Zahir in Moscow on March 14 in which he described the Pushtunistan issue as the only problem that existed between Afghanistan and Pakistan and called for a “solution based on Pushtunistan people’s right to determine own fate.” (Telegram 2307 from Moscow, March 15; ibid., POL 7 AFG.)
359. Telegram 1806 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
Ambassador Neumann reported that, in the context of a “vague atmosphere of political crisis” in Kabul, former Prime Minister Daud had initiated contact with the Embassy through an intermediary to inquire what the U.S attitude would be in the event that Daud reassumed power.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL AFG. Secret; Exdis. In telegram 56321 to Kabul, March 31, the Department endorsed the response to Daud outlined in paragraph 8 of this telegram. (Ibid.)
360. Telegram 2042 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
On instructions, the Embassy replied to Daud’s initiative.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL AFG. Secret; Exdis.
361. Telegram 2055 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
Ambassador Neumann “again raised narcotics problem” with Foreign Minister Shafiq, stressing the need for stricter enforcement. Shafiq discussed the steps he was taking to deal with the problem.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 11–5 AFG. Confidential. Repeated to Ankara, Bonn, Geneva, Islamabad, London, Paris, Rome, and USUN.
362. Memorandum From Robert A. Flaten of the Office of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Affairs to the Director of the Office of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Affairs (Laingen)
Based on his recent experience as a member of the Embassy staff in Kabul, Flaten assessed the “creeping” political crisis in Afghanistan.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15 AFG. Confidential. Copies were sent to Kabul, to Islamabad for Sober, and to London for G.B. Lambrakis. Attached but not published was the memorandum on Pushtunistan cited in Flaten’s assessment. On May 30 the Embassy in Kabul reported that the Zahir government was “subjected to strong domestic pressures that could bring it down any day.” (Telegram 3016; ibid.)
363. Telegram 4008 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
Former Treasury Secretary Connally discussed U.S. relations with Afghanistan with King Zahir and Foreign Minister Shafiq on July 7.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 US/Connally. Confidential; Limdis. Sent to the Department with a request that it be forwarded to the White House for Jeanne Davis and to the Treasury for Leonard Dixon. John Connally resigned as Secretary of the Treasury on May 16. Thereafter he visited a number of countries around the world at President Nixon’s request to review with host governments matters of mutual interest. Included on his itinerary were stops in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He made a 1-day stop in Kabul on July 7 following his visit to Pakistan. Additional documentation on the trip is ibid. During his conversation with Shafiq, Connally was handed a paper that outlined economic problems for which the Afghan Government was seeking U.S. assistance. The text of the paper was transmitted to the Department on July 13 in airgram A-84 from Kabul. (Ibid.)
364. Telegram 4884 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
Chargé Lewis reported on his conversation with Prime Minister Zahir concerning the importance of coordinating efforts to manage and distribute emergency relief supplies.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Limited Official Use. Repeated to USUN.
365. Telegram 5348 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
The Embassy reported that unless vigorous efforts were made to provide food to highland areas affected by “severe famine” before winter weather isolated those areas, as many as 200,000 faced starvation. The Embassy proposed measures the U.S. could undertake, including an airlift of wheat, to help deal with the crisis.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Limited Official Use. Sent as a joint State/USAID message. Repeated to Ankara, Islamabad, Moscow, New Delhi, and Tehran.
366. Telegram 169365 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Afghanistan
The Department concurred in the need for urgent action to try to prevent starvation in the western mountains of Afghanistan.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Flaten (NEA/PAB), cleared in draft with AID/ASIA/NE, AID/PRI/DRD, and DOD/ISA and by Laingen. Repeated to Islamabad, Tehran, and Moscow.
367. Telegram 5368 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
Ambassador Neumann discussed with King Zahir the measures being taken by the Afghan Government to deal with the food crisis.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Confidential. Repeated to Ankara, Islamabad, Moscow, New Delhi, and Tehran.
368. Telegram 5636 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
The Embassy reported that King Zahir had rejected the resignation of Prime Minister Zahir, but Foreign Minister Shafiq had emerged as the effective head of government and would very likely be appointed Prime Minister before the end of the year.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 AFG. Confidential. Repeated to Ankara, Islamabad, London, Moscow, New Delhi, Tehran, and USUN.
369. Telegram From Secretary of State Rogers to the Department of State
Rogers met with Foreign Minister Shafiq at the United Nations to discuss U.S.-Afghan relations.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 1 AFG. Limited Official Use. Also numbered USUN 3836. Rogers and Shafiq were in New York for the autumn session of the UN General Assembly.
370. Telegram 6029 From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State
The Embassy recommended provision of 20,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan in response to an emergency assistance request from the Afghan Government. The Embassy further suggested that the U.S. provide $400,000 to help offset the transportation costs of trucking food into areas affected by famine.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 10 AFG. Limited Official Use. Repeated to Islamabad, Tehran, and Rome for FODAG
371. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Sisco) to Secretary of State Rogers
Sisco informed Rogers that King Zahir had accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Zahir and had asked Foreign Minister Shafiq to form a new government. Sisco concluded that Shafiq “seems an outstanding choice for Prime Minister.”
Source: National Archives, RG 59, NEA/PAB Files: Lot 76 D 319, 1972 POL-15.1 Prime Minister. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Flaten (NEA/PAB) and cleared by Laingen and Davies.
372. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Sisco) to Secretary of State Rogers
Sisco noted that Prime Minister Shafiq had promised “effective measures” to stop the illegal drug traffic in Afghanistan, and he credited the Embassy in Kabul with Shafiq’s public recognition of the importance of the narcotics problem.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 11–5 AFG. Limited Official Use. Drafted on December 15 by Flaten (NEA/PAB), cleared by Laingen, Davies, Seymour H. Glazer (NEA/RA), and by Harvey R. Wellman, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Narcotics Matters. Rogers wrote “no” in the margin next to the recommendation. The draft telegram to Neumann was attached but not published.