Office of the Historian

276. Telegram From the Embassy in Pakistan to the Department of State1

Islamabad, April 28, 1978, 0700Z

4199. Subject: Military Coup in Afghanistan. Ref: (A) Kabul 3351;2 (B) State 108149.3

1. For first twelve hours after initial Flash message from Kabul yesterday about the coup, I and EmbOffs kept FonSec Shahnawaz (and through him, General Zia) quite fully informed of contents of Kabul reporting tels. GOP is grateful and has asked us to continue to furnish any info that we get.

2. I am now starting to taper off our contributions to GOP, partly because GOP apparently now has its own sources, including what Iranians are furnishing as well as Kabul Radio reports, and partly to avoid stimulating GOP into any over-reaction. We have therefore withheld from GOP Kabul’s well-founded speculation (Kabul 3247 para 5)4 that control of Kabul is not same as control of countryside and that guerrilla action could continue for some time. We will continue to give GOP factual information as we get it, if we think it would contribute materially to their knowledge of situation, but we are omitting most appraisals and speculations. We will also try to find out what GOP thinks.

3. As scenario unfolds, we should jointly consider when and how to urge restraint on Pakistan and (presumably) Iran. Pakistan has broad spectrum of capabilities for meddling across Afghan border, beginning with oral encouragement of Pathans and other tribes to assist their cousins across border, through active supply of weapons, and on up into direct military support of anti-coup elements. Key to GOP choices will be attitude and actions of Shah; USG exhortations of GOP will have little force if not echoed by Iranians. I would expect Paks to be [Page 663] cautious, knowing dangers of combined Afghan/Sov counter-reaction, but advice from the Shah counselling moderation would not be amiss, if the Shah is willing to give it.

Hummel
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780181–1177. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information Immediate to Kabul, New Delhi, and Tehran.↩
  2. Reference is to telegram 3251 from Kabul, April 28, which reported the proclamation broadcast on Radio Afghanistan that day abolishing the Afghan constitution and announcing control of the military by the Revolutionary Council. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780181–1089)↩
  3. In telegram 108149 to Tehran and Islamabad, April 27, the Department instructed that the Embassies “at their discretion may share available information with host governments at highest appropriate level and obtain their assessment.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780181–0175)↩
  4. Paragraph 5 of telegram 3247 from Kabul, April 28, emphasized the point that control of Kabul did not equate to control of Afghanistan. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780181–0626)↩