A/39/PV.60 General Assembly

I call on the representative of Pakistan, who wishes to introduce draft resolution A/39/L.l1. 2. Mr. YAQUB-KHAN (Pakistan): Today, the Gen- eral Assembly takes up for consideration the Afghani- stan issue. This five-year-old conflict was caused by Soviet military intervention in that non-aligned, Islamic country-intervention that has ravaged the land and constitutes a threat to international peace and security. In fact, the past year has seen an escalation of violence in the campaign to subjugate the valiant struggle of the Afghan people to regain their freedom and honour. Yet the spirit of the Afghan people remains unvanquished, their courage undiminished and their resistance unflinching in the face of overwhelming odds. 3. The Secretary-General's initiative on a just polit- ical settlement of the Afghanistan issue continues to hold out the hope and the promise that recourse to patient diplomacy and adherence to recognized prin- ciples will bring the tragedy of Afghanistan to an end and enable its people to regain their freed0m and to shape their own destiny. 4. The impact of five years of foreign military intervention in Afghanistan has been grave, both globally and for our own embattled region. Its immediate consequences were visible in the deepen- ing of mistrust and the heightening of tension between the super-Powers, resulting in a setback to the process of detente, a freeze in East-West relations and an escalation of the arms race. The cost to the world of this military adventure has been incalcula- ble. In a period of increasing global interdependence, the prospect of permanent gain by either super- Power through military means is outmoded. It is also unrealistic and self-defeating, since the apparent gains are generally outweighed by the erosion of credibility and the loss of prestige and influence, or are nullified by the efforts of the other super-Power to re-establish an equilibrium which it perceives as having been disrupted. 5. A far-reaching but less tangible implication of this military intervention is the impact on small and medium-sized nations. Their faith in a world order based on the principles of the Charter of the United NEW YORK Nations as a guarantee of the preservation of their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity has been shaken by the application of the cynical principle of "might is right". 6. The loss of the freedom of a small non-aligned nation as a result of the five-year-long military intervention and occupation by its powerful neigh- bour not only violates the Charter but also consti- tutes a dangerous precedent which could be re-enact- ed elsewhere in the world. Such adventures tend to set in motion an ominous trend and a fateful chain of event~;. Unless they are firmly opposed and reversed, they could erode the authority of the United Nations, g~nerate deep insecurity among smaller nations and cOlllpel them to seek the protection of powerful Statc~. This would expand the range and extent of confrontation to a global scale, aggravating polariza- tion and bringing into jeopardy the security of all nations, big or small. 7. The foreign military intervention in Afghanistan has greatly increased the danger of our whole region being turned into an arena of international conflict and rivalry. Given the strategic sensitivity of the region, its involvement in any such conflict would be a calamitous development. For the maintenance of global peace and stability, full respect for the inde- pendence and non-aligned status of the countries of this sensitive area is, therefore, indispensable. 8. Conscious ofthese grave consequences, the inter- national community has spoken with a firm and clear voice against foreign intervention in Afghanistan and in solidarity with the struggle of the Afghan people to defend the independence of their country. Year after year the Organization of the Islamic Conferencf" the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the C .1er- al Assembly have adopted resolutions calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and have urged a settlement that would enable the Afghan people to choose their own form of government and socio-economic system, free from outside interfer- ence and coercion. 9. In the international community's search for a just political solution ofthe Afghanistan problem, the Secretary-General's initiative provides the best hope. I take this opportunity to pay a sincere tribute to the Secretary-General and his Personal Representative, Mr. Diego Cordovez, for their tireless and patient efforts to promote the process of negotiations and to engage the parties concerned in meaningful discus- sions on a settlement compatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The consistent commitment with which they have pursued this objective is especially commendable in view of the complexity of the issues involved. 10. For more than two years now, as indicated in his reports to the thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth sessions of the General Assembly, the nationa~ democ~atic revol~tion, which triu~phed on 42. But, on the other hand, forces of imperialism, 27 AprIl 1978 In. Afghamstan, the enemIes of our hegemonism and reaction, which had lost their hopes country are resortmg to false J?retexts. 9ver the years of pushing Afghanistan further into their military, they ~a~e shed lots of crocodIle tears m the hOl?e of political and strategic orbit, redoubled their heinous convmcmg the Assemb!y that. they are genumely efforts to subvert the process of the revolution c~ncerned about. Af~ha~Istan'.s mdependence, sover- through various forms of interference in the internal eIgnty and terntonal Integnty and ~hat for th~t affairs ofmy country. To be sure, they had missed no reason !hey deem the presence of "foreIgn t~oops" m opportunity in the past, either, to hatch criminal ~fghamstan to be a ~In~rance to the exercIse of the plots against Afghanistan. nght of self-determmatton by the Afghan people. . They would wish the Assembly to believe that they 43. Leon Po~I11ada, fOf!ller l!mted States Ambassa- are earnestly working for the preparation of such dor to Afghamstan, Tahu A.mm, a fac~lty member.of conditions as would lead to the withdrawal of those !he DepartI,J1ent.of ~nternattonalRel~ttonsof Quald- troops. They have told the Assembly that they believe I-Aza~ Umverslty m Islamabad! PakIstan., and ~any in political solutions to problems and that they are other ~nformed sources have wntte~ detaIl~d artIcles engaged in sincere negotiations for that purpose. reveahn~ acc~unts.ofcovert subverSIve Umted S.tates They have asked the Assembly to examine the and Paklstam act.IOns even ~efore the revolu~IOn: situation around Afghanista!1 only .since 27 Decem- ~4. As the AmerIcan mag~zlne Counterspy WrItes m ber 1979 and not to concern ItselfwIth what occurred Its September-November Issue of 1983: b~fore ~hat day~ particularly du~ing the p~riod begin- "After planning to create 'tribal rebellions' in the nm~ WIth the VI~tOry of the Apnl reyolutton of 1978. early 1950s and actually setting up the 5,000 TheIr attempt IS aImed at forgettmg, and makmg member [rebel] force in the early 1970s, it was only others forget, the seque!1ce of even~s which preceded a small step for the United States, Pakistan and 2,7 D~cember 1979, whIle. the f~ct IS that the present their allies to support an 'Islamic rebellion' against SItuatIon around AfghanIstan IS the result of plots the People's Democratic Party from 1978 to the and con~piracies~ating back to the very beginning of present." the AprIl revolutIon. . Against this background, the intelligence agencies of 38. The story they have developed serves the logIC the United States Pakistan and their allies launched on the b~sis of which they repeat t~e same worn-out a fresh campaign'to organize their reserve forces in and bonng propaga~da ea~h ye~r m the Ass.e!Dbly. and outside Afghanistan. ~hey completely aVOId a dISCUSSIon of the leglttm~te 45 Once in power the Party determinedly em- nght of each and every State to self-defence and ItS b'k d h h f' h&':' C. 1. . f right to take individual and collective measures to ar e 0l! t e pat 0 t e lalthlu Implementa!IOn 0 that effect. Further to confuse the situation, they all promIses It had mad~ to the peC?ple m. the have resorted to unrestrained falsification of realities Progra~me of the People s DemocratIc Party of and distortion of established facts. Although the Afghamstan. . . flimsy arguments so far advanced are too well known 46. It s~ould surpns.e ~obody th~t the de11?-0crattc to need any recalling, we shall refer to them in order refor~s mtroduced wI~hm the soclo-economlc pla.ns to expose their baselessness. to bnng about the deSIred ~hanges were no! readIly 39. Portraying the imperialist, hegemonist and accepted by thos~ elements I~ t.he Afghan socIety who reactionary undeclared war against Afghanistan as would lose ~ertam of t~e pnvIle~es that ~ade ~hem spontaneous national resistance, they assert that the predoml!1ant strata.In Afghamstan. ThIS obvlous- there existed no foreign aggression or threat of ly resulted m the !eslstance o~ some members of aggression against Afghanistan that would prompt those strat~ to the Implementatton of the reforms I the need to seek outside military assistance. have mentIOned. . 40. I shall dwell on these assertions in order to 47. The chronology of events testlfi~s to the fa~t prove that what they claim to be the reality is exactly th~t .some of the elements that were stnpped of theIf the opposite: slanders, lies and fabrications. pnvlleg~s aba!1doned the country and ~ought. s~fe . .. havens m PakIstan and Iran. By then the ImpenalIst, 41. The problems around Afghamstan dId not. start hegemonist and reactionary circles, first and fore- on 27 December, 1979. The people of Afgham~tan, most the United States, had already multiplied their led by t~e People s Democr~ttc Party of Afghamstan subversive efforts aimed at Afghanistan. Afghan and assIsted by the hero.lc armed .forc~s of the fugitives, who carried with them the strong wish to co~ntry, launched .and carned .out a vlct~nous revo- drag Afghanistan back into the old system, provided lutton on 27 Apr~l 1978. ThIS revolutton w~s the a timely potential force in support of the covert outco}1le ~f the IC?glc~1 and law-g~ve!'Dedevo!u.tton of operations of the enemies of our people country and the hlstoncal o~Jecttve and subjectIve .condltlC?ns of revolution. ' the Afghan socIety and a result of the mteractIOn of . political and socio-economic factors in that given 48. The. LC?ndon-based Inst~tute fo~ t~e Study !Jf period of our history. It was based on the age-old Conqlct, In Iss~e No: 161 of It~ publIcatIon COnflict aspirations and struggle of the Afghan people and Studies, wrote In thIS connectIOn: their vanguard political forces to bring about deep "Across the border in Pakistan, Peshawar rapid- and fundamental transformations in the Afghan ly emerged as the chief centre of exile of many society. It was guided by widely cherished principles Afghan opponents of the People's Democratic of democracy, social progress and justice. It was Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). Already established sparked by the maturity of the revolutionary condi- there since 1975 were a small band of Afghan tions and was enthusiastically welcomed and sup- fundamentalists, who seized the chance to declare~ ==.:=::'':-:-=~:::::._ '::'::".:.::':::'=-~ _=:::.=:=-::...:=c=~::.:.._==.:.:: :::.:~::.:.~...:':'.~:c=~.:_::-:.::::'~::.~=.:::_-:.:.:.=-= ~::~:..:...:: ..:...:.~.::: =::::.~<~ , t". '11 and secrecy was essential not only to prevent could be drawn. Once displaced irom their VI ages further splits among the rebel groups, but also to and towns and confined within the heavily guarded avoid giving any credibility to Soviet and Afighan so-called refugee camps, and totally dependent on ' food rations and other necessities of life distributed accusatIOns . . . . Pakistan has also assisted the through counter-revolutionary groups by Pakistan, rebels by failing to make any effort to restrict the h movements of the refugees, who move freely from t e displaced Afghans would naturally be more the camps, not only within the North-West Fron- vulnerable to the pressure and intimidation exerted tier Province and Baluchistan, but back over the on them. border. Some complained that they were not being 53. It has been widely reported by the international given any support from the Pakistani Government. mass media, as well as by authoritative United in that they had to leave their arms hidden on the Nations sources. that the so-called refugee assistance Afghan side of the border before they returned to has been an instrumental factor in forcing refugee Pakistan, but many of those seen in the camps and families to join one of the dozen or so pseudo- around the headquarters ofthe counter-revolution- religious Afghan counter-revolutionaIj' or~anizations ary political parties in Peshawar belied this claim." "the existence of a CIA pipeline to the mujahidin has long been an open secret . . .. Sources in Asia, the Middle East and the United States have given Time some details of how the aid pipeline works. Used selectively, the information sheds light on this operation without exposing individu- als and organizations . . . . " "As a senior Western military attache told Time: 'Politically the CIA's main challenge has been to avoid linking its operations to the Government of Pakistani President Zia-ul-Haq . . .. "We're goin~ to keep Zia's hands clean", CIA Director Wilham J. Casey told a top aide early on. Says a senior intelligence official: "Ideally, the pipeline had to be invisible, passing through Pakistan".- The pipeline is probably working at close to its capacity and it is continuing to grow.-As a result, much of the operation is handled with the help of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis' support for the guerril- las is by no means covert; only six weeks ago, armam,~ntsto the counter-revolutionaries and adding more and more sophisticated weapons to those consignments. They are pouring hundreds ofmillions of dollars each year into the hands of counter-revolu- tionary ringleaders and bribing the Government of Pakistan with billions of dollars' worth of arms and economic assistance. 76. The fact that this undeclared war is launched and deliberately sustained by imperialist, hegemonist and reactionary forces and would completely disap- pear as soon as a stop was put to the flow ofarms and financial assistance to the counter-revolutionaries has been admitted to by the perpetrators of this war. The ~Vashington Post writes in its issue of 22 October 1983 that counter~revolutionaries "need the funds IIVI~g and workm~ condItIons of the people. Tw~ce posals, the Government of the Democratic Republic dunng the revolut~o~ary y~ars the wages and salanes of Afghanistan has engaged in serious and construc- o£. workers and CIvIl servIce e11?-ployee~ have be.en tive negotiations with Pakistan through the intenne- raIsed. On 21 March 1981 theIr salanes were In- diary of Mr. Diego Cordovez, the Personal Represen- ~reased by 26.6 p~r cent on average. For the low- tative of the Secretary-General. mcome group the mcrease amounted to between 40 and 50 per cent. Again in April this year salaries and 103. While expressing our appreciation ofthe untir- wages were raised by an average of 18 per cent and, ing efforts of the Secretary-General and his represen- in the case of the low-income group, amounted to an tative, we believe that our achievements in the increase of between 22 and 34 per cent. Primary negotiations would have been much more impressive commodities are subsidized by the Government. had the other side abandoned its intransigence in During the current year, 2.5 billion afghanis will be refusing to negotiate directly and displayed the spent for this purpose from the State budget. needed sincerity and consistency. 100. The role of the People's Democratic Party of 104. We would like to mention here that those that Afghanistan as the leading and guiding force of are hypocritically crying loudest for a solution of the Afghan society is being further consolidated day by problem are at the same time doing everything day; 120,000 militant Afghans, ofwhom a significant possible to subvert the process of talks between 45 per cent are workers and peasants and 11 per cent Afghanistan and Pakistan and to prevent the interna- are women, are fighting in its ranks, leading the way tional cornmunity from putting its weight fully in building a new society. The People's Democratic behind those negotiations. They are whipping up a Party of Afghanistan is a leading member of the monstrous propaganda campaign of lies and false- pa.~ies concern~9, but p~rticularly the party which concerned m the problem resort to the principle of mltIated the mIlItary actIOn, to approach this next force and dependence on force in international round of talks with a seriousness of purpose which ~ela~ions at the expense of the principles of truth and will allow the Secretary-General to report real pro- JustIce, the rule of law and respect for the desires of :;-'=:_. :_~~:~-"::::.·:::::_:~~::"~~rrl'-.:7"···<0.~.~ E~;,..,~·.~".~--;-~.-~"~~!Iift M . ••-- portion~. Nearly a qua~er of the popul.ation of 176. Thailand welcomes the efforts of the Secre- Afghamstan have been dIsI!laced from theIr ~omes tary-General and those of his Personal Representa- an~ force9 to seek s~elter ~n refugee. camps m the tive, Mr. Diego Cordovez, to pursue a political neI~bounn~ States, m partIcul~r Pa~Is~an and Iran. solution and to expedite the diplomatic process W~. m ThaIland. a~e f~ced. wIt? SImIlar burdens designed to bring about a comprehensive settlement ansI!1g from !he SImIlar sItua~IOn m Kampuc.hea. The in line with the relevant resolutions of the Assembly. Th~I delegatIOn, ther~fore.' WIshes to t~ke thIS oppor- It is our earnest hope that these efforts will gain tumty !o pa~ ~ specIal tnbute t<? PakIstan an~ Iran further momentum and receive the fullest co-opera- for theIr untIrmg efforts to alleVIate the sufferIng of tion ofall parties concerned, particularly those vested !he un~ortunate A.fghan refugees. Indeed the Afgh~ns with the special responsibility of strengthening and !n PakIstan constItut.e the largest refugee p.opulatI~n enhancing the role of the United Nations in the m the world. It remams our hope that con~ItIOnsWIll maintenance of international peace and security. soon be created to enable the long-suffenng Afghan . . refugees to return to their homes safely and with 177. Draft resolutIOn A/39/L.ll, whIch was elo- dignity quently introduced by the Minister for Foreign . .. Affairs of Pakistan earlier this afternoon, provides 172. T~e ~e~Olc re~Istance of the Afghan people ~nd the framework for such a comprehensive settlement th~. mU}t}hldm t~stIf!es to th~ trut~ that foreIgn in Afghanistan. It also serves to underline the strong mIlItary mterventIon m Afghamstan wIll not succeed. and consistent desire of the Assembly to see the The Afghan people have .demons~rat~d that they ~re effective application of the fundamental principles of not prel?ared to accept ~lIen dommat.IOn and for~Ign the United Nations as well as to ensure the efficacy of occupatIOn. My.delegatIon firmly belIeves that hISt~- the Organization. My delegation, as a sponsor of the ry WIll once agam bear testImony to the resolute wIll draft resolution believes that the reaffirmation of the an~ successful achievements of the Af&han people in will of the w~rld community in support of the theIr present struggle for freedom and mdependence. legitimate rights and interests of the peoples will keep 173. Afghanistan and Thailand became Members of alive and .fulfil the. hope for a just and lastin.g the United Nations in the same year, 1946. Our two settlement m Afghamstan for the people of Afgham- peoples have a similar heritage and tradition of self- stan. respect and independence. It was undoubtedly the 178. Mr. LEE (Canada) (interpretation from common aspiration of both countries and peoples to French): It is with regret and concern that the play a constructive role in the community of nations Assembly is forced to consider this year, once again, that brought them together to this forum. As with the situation in Afghanistan. More than four years others, both countries undoubtedly placed their have passed since Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan, hopes for the future in the principles and purposes and the Assembly has debated and adopted, over- enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. whelmingly, no fewer than five resolutions condemn- Therefore Thailand is deeply disturbed that Afghani- ing the continued Soviet occupation of that formerly stan for the fifth year continues to suffer under the non-aligned nation. Other respected international yoke of foreign military intervention and a govern- bodies, such as the Movement of Non-Aligned Coun- ment imposed upon it by a foreign Power. In the face tries, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and of such a dan~erous precedent involving the blatant the Commonwealth, have joined the General Assem- ~C~T~IS~eg~r~,~~~u~.~a_~ent~:~~n~e~~!l,On~I_::s, an~~._.,~~=i~th:.::::~ :e~:I~~ra~a~_~ffO~l~n. ~ s~c~ actIOn has been the SOyIet Um0!l Itself. T~e international issue that could restore to Afghanistan regIme of Babrak Karmal, Installed m po~er m its independence and sovereignty and enable it to Kabul four years ago by force of arms, .remalns as recover its true non-aligned status. unpopular as ever. The fierce popular resIstance that continues against its rule bears eloquent testimony to 184. Mr. McDONAGH (Ireland): I have the honour its failure to establish any semblance of political to speak on behalf ~f the 10 member States of the legitimacy. The frequent defections to the resistance European CommunIty. by members of the Afghan Army and civil service 185. The Soviet Union's large-scale military inter- indicate the inability of the Karmal regime to vention in Afghanistan almost five years ago-an act command even the loyalty of its own agents. It is of force against the people of a developing and non- clear that the occupying Soviet forces serve no aligned country-shocked the international commu- purpose except to defend the Karmal regime against nity. Today its continuing occupation ofthat country its own people. continues to be of profound concern to us all. By its 180. In the mean time, the war being fought to keep act~ons. in Afghanistan, in flagrant b!each of its that regime in power has brought more devastation obhgatl<?ns un~er the Charter of the Umted ~atlo~s, and misery to the people of Afghanistan. An estimat- !he Soviet Umon ~as ~learly demonstrat~d ItS W!U- ed 20 per cent of the entire population of the country In~~ess to pursue ItS alms by th~ use of It~ massIve has been forced to seek refuge in neighbouring !Dlhtary. power. The C?verwheh~l1ng ma~onty of the Pakistan and Iran. Moreover, it is impossible to !nternatlon~l.communltyhas rejected thiS attempt t? estimate how many more civilians still in Afghani- Impose a regIme by force on the people of AfghanI- stan have had their livestock and homes destroyed stan. Yt:ar aft~r year the A~sembly has co.ndemned and their relatives maimed or killed in this vicious the SovIet UnIon's occupation of Afghamstan and war. As the major Soviet offensive in the Panjshir called for tht: withdrawal of the oc~upying forces an~ valley this year has shown, the level of violence has for a !1egotla~ed settlement which w,?uld permit not diminished but rather has increased since the Afghamstan's Independence and non-ahgned status last time the Asse~bly debated this issue. to be re~to~ed, allow the Afg~an 'people to exercise 181. The Soviet occupation has also had serious fully theIr rIght to self-determm~tlon and enable the repercussions beyond Afghanistan's borders. The Afghan ~efuge~s t~ return ho~e m safet~ and honour. neighbouring States of Iran and, particularly, Paki- The ~ovlet Union s unrelentmg occupation, however, stan have had imposed upon them the enormous contmues. burden of sheltering the millions of refugees fleeing 186. In recent months the Soviet Union has intensi- this war. In the last year, Pakistan has suffered fied its military efforts against the resistance forces. incursions of its airspace and attacks upon its The human misery now being endured in Afghani- territory, resulting in the loss of more than 50 lives. stan is enormous. It is clear that all the Afghan people Many nations, including Canada, have condemned desire is the freedom to determine their own future. these violations of Pakistani sovereignty. Further- That is their right. Yet innocent men and women more, the presence of more than 100,000 Soviet ~ontinue to lose their lives and homes as the occupy- troops in Afghanistan has had a destabilizing effect mg forces attempt to suppress a courageous resist- on the South Asian region as a whole. It has directly ance. The Ten condemn these attacks on Afghan impeded, for example, further progress towards such civilians and the widespread destruction of villages, international objectives as the establishment of the irrigation work, farming land and crops, as well as Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. Overall, the Soviet the indiscriminate mining ofcountry tracks. Th~¥ are occupation, in flagrant violation ofthe Charter of the concerned at reports of food shortages, malnutrItion United Nations, has undoubtedly contributed to the and high infant mortality in rural areas of Afghani- atmosphere of international distrust that prevails stan. Growing international concern over the viola- today. tion of human rights in Afghanistan was demon- ~ 82. Canada wishes to applaud the efforts of the stra~ed this y~ar by the decision of th~ Economic and mternational community to alleviate the situation in S~I~1 Councd, on the .recommendatl.on of the Corn- Af~anistan. UNHCR has done impressive work in ~lssIon on.Human Rights, to appo~nt for the first trymg to meet the basic needs of the Afghan refugees. time a SpeCial rappo~eur on Afghamstan.! The. Ten It has been aided in its work by the two nations of look forward to studymg the rep~rt of the apPOlnt~d refuge and by many foreign countries, including r~pporteur to the forty-first seSSIOn of the Commls- Canada, that have provided humanitarian assistance slon. to those people. Canada also wishes to congratulate 187. More than 20 per cent of the Afghan popula- t~e Secretary-General and his Personal Representa- tion has been obliged to flee the country. The exodus lIve on all.that they h~ve. don~ so far. Cana.d.a is cont~nuin~ and ~dditional refugees reach the supports th~l.r efforts, whIch It beheves should faclh- camps m nelghbourmg countries each month. In tate .a poht.Ical settlement acceptabl~ to ~ll and Pakistan alone there are almost 3 million Afghan conslst~nt WIth the four. elements mentioned ~n draft refugees, the largest concentration of refugees in the resolutIon N39/L.ll. Fmally, we must pay trIbute to world. The Ten are deeply concerned that Pakistani NOTES lEconomic and Sod~1 Council re'! ..~ion •':14/37. 2See United Nations, Treaty Serit.J, vo!. 1125, No. 17512.