3. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State1
5732. Subject: Conversation With President Daoud: Political Matters.
1. I called on President Daoud the morning of August 17. The conversation was in every respect cordial. It lasted one hour. President Daoud appeared to have fully recovered from some of the minor health problems he had suffered earlier this summer, such as dental surgery.
2. I referred to our pleasure in having Ambassador Karim in Washington and how much we looked forward to welcoming Foreign Minister Abdullah to New York and California in the coming weeks.2 Daoud asked me to convey his thanks to President Carter for the warm reception accorded Ambassador Karim. He also asked me to transmit his personal best wishes to President Carter.
3. Following discussion of economic and narcotics matters which are the subjects of septels, Daoud said he is greatly concerned about the large quantity of Communist propaganda publications which are being brought into Afghanistan through the mails and illegally from Western Europe and the United States. He related this propaganda barrage to his concern about the inroads he sees the Communists making in countries like Thailand and Ethiopia. He said he still subscribes to the domino theory. He said Afghanistan is particularly sensitive to developments of this kind in the world because of its long border with the Soviet Union.
4. Regarding Communist propaganda, I told Daoud if there were any specific examples he would like me to investigate, I would try to do so. He agreed with me that most of it is so boring that it doesn’t have much effect, but said that nevertheless, people read it.
5. I also mentioned that I do not believe everything in the world is coming up roses for the Soviet Union. In this connection, I mentioned the recent ASEAN meeting and pledges of Japanese and Australian [Page 7] support to the ASEAN countries.3 I also mentioned Soviet problems in Somalia and the defeat of Soviet-controlled Communists in India and Sri Lanka. I said our political efforts in Southern Africa and the Middle East will, hopefully, bring about conditions in those areas which will limit opportunities for the Soviets. At the conclusion of my remarks, Daoud commented that the Soviets no doubt are having problems.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770297–0366. Confidential; Limdis. Sent for information to Islamabad, Moscow, New Delhi, and Tehran.↩
- Abdullah traveled to New York to participate in the United Nations General Assembly meeting and to California on a cultural exchange mission. On October 1, he met with Vance in New York to discuss a range of bilateral issues; the meeting resulted in mutual affirmations of improved U.S.-Afghan relations. Vance also extended President Carter’s invitation to Daoud to visit the United States. (Telegram 238361 to Kabul, October 3; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770360–1051)↩
- The ASEAN Summit was held August 4–5 in Kuala Lumpur.↩