40. Intelligence Information Cable Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1
COUNTRY
- Afghanistan/Saudi Arabia
SUBJECT
- Saudi Arabian Aid to the Afghanistan National Liberation Front and Possible Saudi Approach to United States Government With Regard to Aid to the Liberation Front (DOI: March 1979)
SOURCE
- [2 lines not declassified]
1. Senior members of the Saudi Government are very much impressed with the recent military successes of Afghanistan rebel units. They believe that these units have accomplished major victories in spite of a lack of weapons, money and logistical support. They are also impressed by what they believe to be the firm steps taken by the various rebel organizations to unify their efforts under the Afghanistan National Liberation Front (ANLF).
2. Although the Saudis are in sympathetic contact with various members of the ANLF, they continue to withhold any real financial support to the ANLF. Crown Prince Fahd bin ’Abd al-’Aziz has made it clear to Pakistani President Zia-ul-Huq that Saudi Arabia will provide no significant aid to the ANLF unless Zia agrees to the aid. At the moment, Saudi and Pakistan Governments are in continuous contact on this issue. In mid-March Zia informed Crown Prince Fahd that he believed that any kind of Pakistani aid to the ANLF would cause him problems with the Soviet Union, which, at the moment, he perceives to be almost insurmountable. Because of their promise not to aid the ANLF without Zia’s approval, senior members of the Saudi Government are considering making a discreet approach to the United States Government (USG) with regard to providing support to the ANLF.
3. ACQ: [1 line not declassified].
4. [less than 1 line not declassified] Dissem: [1½ lines not declassified].
- Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Intelligence, Office of Support Services, Job 97S00360R: Intelligence Document Collection (1977–1981), Box 56, (3150520079–3150678979). Secret; [handling restriction not declassified].↩