Office of the Historian

321. Night Note for Secretary of State Muskie1

Washington, September 29, 1980

SUBJECT

  • Aid to Afghan Rebels

After the regular meeting with Agha Shahi this morning, I took him aside to raise the question [less than 1 line not declassified] interest in providing help to the Afghan rebels.2 Shahi replied that Pakistan was not in a position to be a channel for any further aid to the Afghan rebels. Then, with some bitterness, he said that if the European nations wanted to help they should maintain the political and economic measures against the Soviet Union. In his words “they have broken the political front”. He mentioned particularly Schmidt’s visit to the Soviet Union, the Giscard-Brezhnev meeting, and the continued extension of credits.3 He said President Zia would probably discuss this frankly with you during the meeting Friday.4 I encouraged him to have Zia also speak frankly to the Europeans.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Newsom, Lot 81D154, Box 14, Afghanistan. Secret. Drafted by Newsom. At the top of the note is the typed note: “Mr. Secretary: The following has been phoned in to Washington. DDN.”↩
  2. In telegram Secto 8041 from New York, September 30, Muskie reported his September 29 meeting with Shahi in New York. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800466–0445). On October 7, Brzezinski requested that Turner [text not declassified] to assist the Afghan insurgent effort. Turner “really questioned” this because, in his view, it increased the problem of leaks as more people would gain knowledge of the covert program. (Memorandum for the Record, October 8; Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00112R: Subject Files, Box 15, DCI/DDCI, Memrecs/Memos/Agendas & Brzezinski/Aaron Meetings, January–December 1980)↩
  3. Schmidt’s visit to the Soviet Union took place June 30–July 1. Quoting Pravda, the Embassy reported portions of Schmidt’s June 30 dinner speech in telegram 10494 from Moscow, July 1. Regarding Afghanistan, Schmidt called for withdrawal of Soviet forces, “but said nothing about cessation of all forms of aggression against Afghanistan.” The telegram noted that said aggression was the basis for Soviet military intervention, at the request of the Afghan Government. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800317–0303) The meeting between Giscard and Brezhnev took place in Warsaw, May 19. Giscard’s personal account of the meeting was reported in telegram 16199 from Paris, May 20. According to Giscard, the Afghanistan issue dominated the meeting, and he impressed upon Brezhnev that the West accepted neither the legitimacy of the Afghan Government nor Soviet actions there. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P870111–1706)↩
  4. See Document 326.↩