890H.24/9–2544
The Chief of the Afghanistan Section, Foreign Economic Administration (Meeker), to the Chief of the Eastern Hemisphere Division (Merchant)
Dear Mr. Merchant: It seems desirable to review the general procedure for screening Afghan import requirements in order to be certain that F.E.A. handling of such requirements is in accordance with State Department policy.
It is our understanding that Afghanistan’s total import requirements are submitted simultaneously to the British and American Legations in Kabul for their joint decision as to sources of supply under the present wartime conditions. Those requirements which it is agreed should be exported from the United States are then transmitted to the F.E.A. by your Department in the form of lists broken down by Afghanistan Governmental departments or by Government-sponsored “projects”.
At present, these lists are examined by F.E.A., in the light of supply conditions in the United States, and the Legation in Kabul is notified through your Department in cases where it is not possible to supply the commodities required. Those lists of commodities which can be supplied then constitute final approved programs of Afghanistan export requirements from the United States.
Export license applications covering those commodities which are included in approved programs may then be accepted by F.E.A. However, the application must, in all cases, show that the requirement is for use in the specific government department or “project” for which it has been approved. If commodities for which an export license is requested are not listed in the program, the license is rejected even though the materials included are in free supply. Commodities under general license or otherwise not under license control are, of course, not included in the foregoing procedure.
I should be grateful if you would let me know whether this method of handling exports to Afghanistan is in accordance with your understanding and with the procedure agreed upon by the United States and British Legations in Kabul.
Sincerely yours,