Cablegate: Former King Issues Statements Repudiating Press

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ROME 001220

SIPDIS

PAGE 02 ROME 01220 081423Z
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES

UNCLAS ROME 001220

SIPDIS

ALMATY FOR EMBASSY DUSHANBE
NSC FOR KHALILZHAD
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR SA/PAB, SA/PD, EUR/PPD, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OPRC AF AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: FORMER KING ISSUES STATEMENTS REPUDIATING PRESS
ARTICLES

REF: ROME 1207

1. THE OFFICE OF FORMER AFGHAN KING ZAHIR SHAH RELEASED THE
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS TO THE PRESS ON MARCH 8, DESPITE THE
DATE OF MARCH 7 THAT APPEARS ON THE STATEMENTS THEMSELVES.
(COMMENT: THE KING'S OFFICE DID NOT HAVE CONTACT INFO FOR
MANY JOURNALISTS/MEDIA OUTLETS, SO IT IS LIKELY THAT THE
STATEMENTS DID NOT RECEIVE WIDE DISTRIBUTION. END COMMENT.)
THE AFGHANS REQUESTED THAT WE "SEND THE STATEMENTS TO ANYONE
WE WISHED" (PA ENSURED THAT ANSA AND "LA STAMPA" RECEIVED THE
INFORMATION) AND ALSO THAT WE PASS THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT.

2. BEGIN TEXT, FIRST STATEMENT:

PRESS RELEASE

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 ROME 01220 081423Z
ROME, MARCH 7, 2002

THE SECRETARIAT OF HIS MAJESTY MOHAMMED ZAHER THE FORMER KING
OF AFGHANISTAN INFORMS CONCERNED AUTHORITIES AND THE MASS
MEDIA THAT REMARKS ATTRIBUTED ON MARCH 7, 2002 EDITION TO THE
PERSON OF THE FORMER KING BY THE NEWSPAPER "LA STAMPA" ARE
COMPLETELY ERRONEOUS AND HIGHLY MISLEADING.

HIS MAJESTY THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN HAD, AT NO TIME,
GRANTED OR CONCEDED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ABOVE-MENTIONED
NEWSPAPER.

HIS MAJESTY THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN FROM THE
BEGINNING, COMMITTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S COMMON
AND UNITED STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM IN ALL ITS FORMS AND
MANIFESTATIONS.

END.

(SEAL OF "SECRETARIAT OF HIS MAJESTY ZAHER SHAH")

END TEXT, FIRST STATEMENT.

3. BEGIN TEXT, SECOND STATEMENT:

PRESS RELEASE

ROME, MARCH 7, 2002

THE SECRETARIAT OF HIS MAJESTY THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN
INFORMS THAT, REPORTS APPEARING IN VARIOUS NEWSPAPERS AND
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 ROME 01220 081423Z
MEDIUMS, STATING THAT THE FORMER KING'S HISTORIC RETURN TO
HIS SACRED HOMELAND IS CANCELLED IS UNFOUNDED AND WITHOUT ANY
BASIS.

HIS MAJESTY THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN, WITH THE WILL OF
ALMIGHTY GOD, SHALL RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN AT THE BEGINNING OF
SPRING.

END

(SEAL OF "SECRETARIAT OF HIS MAJESTY ZAHER SHAH")

END TEXT, SECOND STATEMENT.
MINIMIZED CONSIDERED
POPE

UNCLASSIFIED

>
2002ROME01220 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

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