Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XII, Afghanistan

19. Intelligence Information Cable Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency¹

[cable number not declassified]

Washington, May 20, 1978, 2117Z

COUNTRY

• Afghanistan

SUBJECT

• Continued Soviet Concern Over new Afghan Regime, [1 line not declassified]

SOURCE

• [2 lines not declassified].

1. On 16 May [1 line not declassified] observed that the new Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA) was already suffering from poor administration and confusion amongst its leadership. [less than 1 line not declassified] noted he was particularly distressed by the new regime’s lack of bureaucratic efficiencies and that each individual leader is preoccupied with the task of bringing loyal members of the party into key governmental positions. The party members are being appointed more or less randomly and usually lack the necessary skills or background to carry out their assigned responsibilities. [6 lines not declassified]

2. [less than 1 line not declassified] also expressed concern that the new regime was experiencing continuing tension between the Parcham and Khalq factions; he lamented that these old antagonisms should have been long forgotten.

3. [less than 1 line not declassified] said that Ambassador Puzanov was finding it somewhat tricky to deal with the new regime. President Nur Mohammad Taraki had apparently laughed at some of Puzanov’s advice and had stated that we will take decisions ourselves taking into consideration the desires and benefits of the Afghan people.

4. The durability of the Afghan regime was also a concern of [less than 1 line not declassified]. He noted that there could be Western agents within the ruling Khalq Party and that after revolutions there were usually subsequent upheavals until a viable regime was finally established. [less than 1 line not declassified] observed that a continuing series of revolutions had occurred in Iraq and Bangladesh, and Afghanistan might not be any different.²

5. ACQ: [1 line not declassified]

6. [less than 1 line not declassified] Dissem: [3 lines not declassified]

1. Source: Department of Defense, Afghan War Collection, Box 7, USSR in Afghanistan (1978). Secret; [handling restriction not declassified].
2. A likely reference to the July 1968 revolution in Iraq, after which the Ba’ath Party took control of the country, and the assassination of Bangladeshi President Mujibur Rahman in August 1975. Both cases involved the seizure of power by military officers.