MESSAGE TO AMIR AMANULLAH KHAN OF AFGHANISTAN

Source: PSS/v52

To the Enlightened Ruler and Steadfast

Founder and Guardian of the Independence of the High State of Afghanistan

His Majesty

Amir of Afghanistan

Amanullah Khan

The Government of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic expresses to you its gratitude for your handwritten letters and sincere and friendly high thoughts on the relations between the two great states – Afghanistan and Russia.

I am happy to inform you that the friendly Treaty between both states was signed in Moscow on February 28, 1921, by the plenipotentiaries of both states and approved by the supreme body of the Russian Soviet Republic - the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers', Peasants' and Red Army Deputies. 469

The Treaty between the two states formally enshrined the friendship and mutual
sympathies that have been developing and strengthening between Afghanistan
and Russia for two years now, and for the strengthening of which the representative of the High Afghan state in Russia, the highly respected Muhammad Wali Khan, and the Extraordinary
Plenipotentiary Representative of the RSFSR in Kabul, Yakov Zakharovich Surits, have put in a lot of work.

The Russian Soviet government and the High Afghan state have common interests in the East, both states value their independence and want to see
each other and all the peoples of the East independent and free. Not only the above-mentioned circumstances bring both states closer, but also, in particular, the fact that there are no issues between Afghanistan and Russia that could cause disagreements and cast even a shadow on Russian-Afghan friendship. The old imperialist Russia
has disappeared forever, and the northern neighbor of the High Afghan state is the new Soviet Russia, which has extended a hand of friendship and brotherhood to all the peoples of the East, and to the Afghan people in the first place.

The High Afghan state was one of the first states whose representatives
we gladly welcomed in Moscow, and we are happy to note that the first treaty of friendship concluded by the Afghan people was a treaty with Russia.

We are confident that our most sincere desire will be fulfilled and that Russia will forever remain the first friend of the High Afghan state for the benefit of both peoples.

The government of the RSFSR has taken measures to eliminate minor misunderstandings between
Afghan employees and Russian local authorities, and, according to our information,
relations on the ground have improved in accordance with the spirit of friendship existing between both High States.

Some of the thoughts touched upon by Your Majesty in your last letter regarding
mutual sympathy for the liberation of the peoples of the East have been received by us with great sympathy and joy. We treated them with a seriousness befitting the high
thoughts touched upon in them. We have instructed our extraordinary representative Surits to personally explain our thoughts to you.

The government of the RSFSR would also like to note the merits, worthy of the greatest approval, of Your Extraordinary Envoy Muhammad Wali Khan in strengthening friendship
between both states and concluding a friendly Treaty.

Convinced of the further strengthening of the bonds of friendship between Russia and Afghanistan,
allow me to express to you my sympathies and confidence that the independence of the High
Afghan state will not be shaken by anyone, either by force or by cunning.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Written in April, after 20, 1921

First published in 1960 in the book "Documents of Foreign Policy of the USSR." Moscow, vol. IV

Printed according to the typewritten text, signed by V. I. Lenin