S/36/PV.58 Security Council

The situation in Afghanistan has been before the United Nations for almost two years. The Soviet armed intervention in Afghanistan in Decem- ber 1979 and the installation of the present regime brought about a qualitative change in the security en- vironment of the region, with profound repercussions for global peace. The emerging situation was serious enough to be discussed immediately in the Security Council and at the ersuing sixth emergency special session of the General Assembly, held in January 1980. 2. In its resolution ES-6/2, adopted with the overwhelm- ing support of Member States, the General Assembly is- sued an unambiguous and forthright call for the immedi- ate, unconditional and total withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan. It appealed to all States to re- spect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national inde- pendence and non-aligned character of Afghanistan and recognized the right of its people to determine their own form of government and to choose their economic, politi- cal and social system without outside intervention, sub- version or coercion. It also called for the creation of the necessary conditions which would enable the Afghan ref- ugees to return voluntarily to their homes in safety and honour. The affirmation of these principles and objectives by the Assembly was in fact an' affirmation of the funda- mental principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 3. At its thirty-fifth session the General Assembly, on 20 November 1980, adopted another resolution-resolu- tion 35/37-which, while reaffirming all the principles and objectives contained in resolution ES-6/2, spelt out the elements for a political solution of the problem in Afghanistan, including the exploration of securing appro- priate guarantees for non-use of force or threat of use of force against the political independence, sovereignty, ter- ritorial integrity and security of all neighbouring States, on the basis of m!Jtual guarantees and strict non-inter- feren£:e in each other's internal affairs. The General As- sembly requested the Secretary-General to continue to ex- tend his assistance in the search for a political solution and to appoint a special representative on Afghanistan. 4. The adoption of this resolution with the support of III Member States was the clearest evidence of a near NEW YORK unanimous international verdict in favour of the full and effective application of the fundamental principles of the Charter to the situation in Afghanistan. 5. The Afghanistan crisis was featured prominently not only at the United Nations but also in numerous other international forums. At the initiative of Bangladesh, an Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference of For- eign Ministers was held in January 1980 at Islamabad to consider the situation in Afghanistan. I Subsequently, at the Eleventh Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Islamabad in May 1980,2 at the Third Islamic Conference, held at Mecca-Taif in January 1981 [see A/361l38], and at the Twelfth Islamic Conference of for- eign Ministers, held at Baghdad in June this year [see A/36/421 o'1d Co"./], this problem was also deliberated.. 6. The emphasis in the pronouncements of each of these Conferences was on four fundamental principles: namely, the immediate withdrawal of the foreign troops; respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political indepen- dence and non-aligned and Islamic character of Afghanistan; the right of the Afghan people to determine their own form of government free from outside interven- tion or interference; and the creation of the necessary con- ditions for the voluntary return of the Afghan refugees in safety and honour. 7. These principles were endorsed by the Conference of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Non-Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi in February 1981 [see A/36/116 and Corr./], and at the meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegations of Non-Aligned Coun- tries, held in New York on 25 and 28 September [see A/36/566]. These principles were also upheld in the decla- ration of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet- ing, held at Melbourne in September/October [see AB&~n. . 8. The spontaneous and unequivocal reaction of the in- ternational community to the massive induction of the for- eign armed forces into Afghanistan, aimed at determining the outcome of a purely internecine struggle, underscores the fact that this event was not a mat~er of local or re- gional concern alone. It was, and continues to be, a grave issue in which the international community has a pro- found stake, since it undermines the sanctity of the funda- mental principles enshrined in the Charter and constitutes a flagrant violation of the universally recognized norms of inter-State relations. 9. The resolutions and decisions of the United Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the non- aligned movement in respect of Afghanistan have received massive support from the world community, because these resolutions uphold the national rights of the people of Afghanistan and respect their true sentiments and aspi- rations. . 10. We have iooked carefully at the proposals made by the Kabul authorities on 15 May last yearl and on 24 11. The General Assembly is fully aware of the objec- tive conditions inside Afghanistan. The people of that un- fortunate land are locked in a bitter struggle to regain their natiClnal rights. The national and indigenous charac- ter of this .truggle has been demonstrated both by its te- nacity and by its growing intensity throughout the length and breadth of that country. Even as the world community has called repeatedly for a political solution to the prob- lem, based on recognized and universal principles embod- ied in the Charter, the conflict in Afghanistan continues to inten~ify. As villages bum and cities erupt into violence, the hapless victims of this conflict continue to pour into the neighbouring countries. Already, no less than one fIfth of the entire Afghan nation have fled their homes and hearths to take refuge in Pakistan and Iran. 12. During the 20 months' rule of President Taraki and President Hafizullah Amin, the number of Afghan refu- gees who crossed over to Pakistan was about 3~0,OOO. It was only after the military intervention of December 1979 that the flow of refugees became an inundation. This mas- sive exodus continues unabated to this day. Nearly 2.5 million Afghan men, women and children have taken shelter in Pakistan alone. Let me recall here what the President of Pakistan said iri his statement to the Assem- bly at the thirty-fifth session. He said: HPeople do not leave the comforts of their hearths and homes to face the privations of life in exile without compelling reasons. The Afghan refugees on our soil had to leave their country because life was made un- bearable for them. The orchestrated propaganda cam- f1Jgn accusing Pakistan of interference in Afghanistan's ~i1ternal affairs cannot mislead the world. It cannot con- ceal the truth that the insurgency in Afghanistan is a manifestation of the patriotic upsurge of a proud people which have never yielded to foreign domination. I wish to restate Pakistan's commitment to the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other States and cate- gorically reject the allegation that Pakistan is in any way involved in the insurgency in Afghanistan." [l8th meeting, para. 38.] 13. The central fact of the situation in Afghanistan is the national resistance of the' Afghan people to the con- tinuing foreign military intervention, which has prevented them from exercising their right to determine their own destiny. As long as this reality is not recognized by all concerned and attempts are made to ascribe the resistance to outside instigation and support, a political solution will remain beyond our grasp. 14. Pakistan has consistently adhered to the policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States. The propaganda campaign unleashed against Pakistan accusing it of allowing its territory to be used as a base of opera- tions by the Afghan Mujahideen or a conduit for arms is totally unfounded. The allegation regarding the existence of training camps in Pakistan is a pure fabrication. Pakistan has repeatedly declared its willingness to accept 15. The consequences for Pakistan of a situation within Afghanistan which is not of its creation are inescapable and pose grave economic, social, political and security problems for it. Apart from the massive influx of refugees to our soil, there are frequent violations of Pakistan's ter- ritory and airspace along the international border. These violations have involved bombing and strafing. of areas where refugee camps are located. Pakistan contLQues to exercise great restraint in the face of these provocations. 16. Pakistan is convinced that the situation in Afgha- nistan does not admit of a military solution. There is no alternative to a political solution of the Afghanistan crisis. In its own interest, as well as in the interest of regional and world peace, Pakistan will continue its efforts to bring .about such a solution. Over the past two years Pakistan has explored every possible avenue to promote a peaceful settlement which would bring about withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan and thus ensure the voluntary return of the Afghan refugees to their homes. Following the adoption of resolution 35/37 by the General Assembly, and after appropriate consultations, Pakistan t:equested the Secretary-General to appoint a spe- cial representative on Afghanistan in order to pursue the search for a peaceful settlement. We welcomed the visits of the Secretary-General's Personal Representative, Mr. Perez de Cuellar, to our region in April and August this year, and extended our full co-operation to him in his efforts to initiate political negotiations among all the par- ties concerned. 17. We have all along engaged in bilateral consultations with countries of the region as well as on the international scene, including the Soviet Union. Most recently, the For- eign Minister of Pakistan, in his statement in the general debate at the current session of the Assembly, declared that Pakistan is H. • • prepared to set aside procedural problems and engage in an exchange..of views on substantive issues through the Secretary-General or his representative, and at the same time prepare the ground for trilateral talks between the representatives of the Governments of Pakistan and Iran and those of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, as soon as circumstances per- mit". [23rd meeting, para. 173.J We express our appreciation to the Secretary-General and his Personal Representative for initiating indirect ex- changes between the parties concerned. It is our hope that these talks will continue and evolve into a genuine dia- logue, generating a new momentum for the establishment of peace and security in the region. 18. The efforts that Pakistan has made towards finding a political solution of the crisis in Afghanistan are reflected in the report of the Secretary-General. After a description of the various stages in the consultative process, the Sec- retary-General concludes as follows: "The steps taken in the course of the recent con- sultations have shown that the approach adopted can in- deed facilitate the search for a fair political solution, Pakistan is in agreement with the conclusion drawn by the Secretary-General and is determined to co-operate fully with him to promote and accelerate the process set in mo- tion by him to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Afghanistan crisis. 19. It is necessary that the momentum created by the efforts of the international community towards a peaceful political settlement of the Afghanistan crisis be main- tained. The important role played by the United Nations in preparing the ground for such a settlement has already yielded some positive results, opening up possibilities for the resolution of the substantive issues involved. In the meantime, the conflict inside Afghanistan continues to rage. Men, women and children continue to die and to flee their ravaged homes. The human consequences of the conflict continue to multiply for the neighbouring coun- tries which bear an inescapable responsibility to provide refuge to those who are forced to abandon their hearths and homes. 20. In these circumstances. the United Nations must play its role in bringing peace and tranquillity to the long- suffering people of Afghanistan. The General Assembly has a special responsibility to bring the weight of interna- tional opinion to bear on all the parties concerned to reach an early settlement in accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people of Afghanistan. 21. With that objective in view, I have the honour to introduce the draft resolution contained in document Al36/L. 15 on behalf of the sponsors. 22. The draft resolution is designed to facilitate the pro- cess of instituting a dialogue for the peaceful settlement of the Afghanistan crisis. As in the case of the resolutioH adopted at the preceding session, it reaffirms the funda- mental principles of the Charter which are pertinent to the situation in Afghanistan. It gives expression to the grave' concern of the international community at the continuing military intervention in Afghanistan, in contravention of these principles, and at the social and economic problems posed to Pakistan and Iran by the presence of millions of Afghan refugees and their increasing influx. It under- scores the urgent need for a pblitical settlement of the grave situation in Afghanistan and takes cognizance of the important efforts made by the non-aligned movement and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in this regard. 23. The central objectives to which the draft resolution addresses itself in its operative part remain consistent with those of the previous relevant General Assembly resolu- tions. These are: the immediate withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan; preservation of the sflvereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and non- aligned character of Afghanistan; the right of the Afghan people to determine their own form of government and to choose their economic, political and social system free from outside intervention, subversion, coercion or con- straint of any kind whatsoever; the creation of the neces- sary conditions which would enable the Afghan refugees to return voluntarily to their homes in safety and honour. 24. The draft resolution also envisages the securing of appropriate guarantees for non-use of force, or threat of 25. In operative paragraph 6, the General Assembly would express appreciation of the Secretary-General's efforts to find a solution to the problem and request him to continue these efforts with a view to promoting a polit- ical solution, in accordance with the provisions of the draft resolution. 26. In dealing with the humanitarian aspects of the prob- lem, the General Assembly would review its appeal to all States and national and international organizations to con- tinue to extend humanitarian relief assistance, with a view to alleviating the hardship of the Afghan refugees. The international community has an obligation to remain fully alive to the growing humanitarian needs of the refugees and to respond generously to the appeal made in the draft resolution. 27. I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to express the appreciation of the Government and the people of Pakistan to the Member States and· aUtheinternational' agencies which have extended valuable assistance to us in meeting the gigantic problem of caring for nearly 2.5 mil- lion Afghan refugees. Despite this international as- sistance, Pakistan has to bear half of the cost of the up- keep of the refugees. In 1981 the total expenditure incurred by Pakistan will amount to $200 million. This places a tremendous burden on our limited resources. 28. Finally, the draft resolution seeks to ensure that the question of the grave situation in Afghanistan remains on. the agenda and would request the Secretary-General to keep Member States and the Security Council concur- rently informed of the progress towards the implementa- tion of the provisions of the draft resolution. 29. The draft resolution avoids polemics. It takes into account the legitimate interests of all the parties ·con- cerned and provides a comprehensive basis for a peaceful political settlement. 30. The gravity of the situation inside Afghanistan has ramifications far beyond its confines. The Afghanistan crisis poses a serious threat to the security and stability of the States of the region. It has far-reaching consequences for world peace and has already had an adverse impact on the process of detente. 31. The conflict in Afghanistan must be resolved speed- ily and peacefully in order to end th.e sufferings· of the i freedom-loving people of Afghanistan and to allay deeply' felt regional and global concerns. This demands anexer- cise of imagination and flexibility on the part of all con- cerned. The post-war period abounds with instances of wanton repression and reliance on brute force to achieve untenable ambitions. Inevitably, such attempts have yielded to historical imperatives. What was portrayed as irreversible at first became the subject of accommodation and adjustment once the immutability of the principle of national self-determination had been conceded. The prob- lems which confront Afghanistan today, and their conse-.-· quences for the neighbouring countries, will disappear- with the restoration of the sovereignty, independence and . non-aligned status of Afghanistan. An independent,and non-aligned Afghanistan at peace with itself and with all- its neighbours can only be a factor of stability in there~ gion, and not a threat to anyone.

Allow me' first of all heartily to congratulate ,the delegations of Belize and of Antigua and Barbuda on the admission of these newborn States to the United Nations. . 34. Turning now to the subject of the debate, I should from the very beginning express the profound dissatisfac- tion and regret of my delegation that despite the resolute and well-founded objections of the delegations of Afghanistan and some other countries the debate on the so-called Afghan question has been imposed. on the Gen- eral Assembly. . The Afghan delegation has already pointed out that' the inclusion of this artificially created item'on the agenda of the current session constitutes out- right and flagrant interference in the internal' affairs of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and as such is a vio- lation 'of the Charter. ,Article 2, paragraph 7, of the Char- ter states: "Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters wl1i"t»iiiifJ eSseiWfa11Y:~itbin the ,domestic jurisdiction of anySiate or shall require the Members. to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter". Thus, the Charter clearly stipulates that matters related to the internal affairs of a sovereign, independent State cannot and should not be discussed against the will of the Gov- ernment and the people of that State under any pretext whatsoever. 35. 'What has happened in Afghanistan since the April revolution of 1978, when the despotic Daoud regime was overthrown by the patriotic Afghan forces, is an internal matter, and.' is entirely within the jurisdiction of the Afghan Government. The same applies to the events which have occurred since.27 December 1979, when the Afgharrarmy, supported by the people of Afghanistan, removed. from' power the oppressive Amin clique and re- stored:the basic principles of the Afghan national demo-. cratk revolution.. 36." Nobody, including the General Assembly, can dic- tate"to'the Afghan people what kind of political and social system' they must'have and how they should run the af- fairs of their country. The Afghan people themselves have irrevocably and decisively made their historic choice and have taken the road of a basic and economic transforma- tion of the country in the interests of the toiling masses. They have determined their own form of government and chos~n their political and social system free from any out- sia~11rii¥Ne'~tionottbercioh ,of any kind w,hatsQever. No- boay' c'arl dispute this sovereign right· of the Afghan peo- ple.~ ,'. . 37. The imposition on the General Assembly of this hollow debate is nothing but a new attempt of the imperi- alist, hegemonist and reactionary forces to meddle in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and to put political and moral pressure on the people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. But no force in the world "can compel the Afghan people to abandon the road they have chosen of their' own free will. This diversionary exercise of the' imperialist and hegemonist forces is par- ticularly untimely at. this moment, when encouraging prospects have emerged for a political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan by means of negotiations be- tweeN Afghanistan and' Pakistan and Afghanistan and 38. It is evident that this debate is unwarranted and un- justified and that it runs counter to the basic principles of the United Nations and has nothing to do with the real efforts aimed ,at resolving the outstanding problems of our region. However, we are dragged into it against our will. To put the record straight we should like to make a few observations on certain points raised by the previous speaker. He tried to create the impression that the situa- tion in Afghanistan poses an immediate threat to th~ se- curity of the region and alIeged that there is a sort of national resistance in Afghanistan, that the people are fighting in response to the challenge to their sovereignty and independence. Nothing could be further from reality as far as the situation in Afghanistan is concerned. We are certainly aware that the imperialist and hegemonist forces and the forces of regional reaction spare no efforts or funds in order to mislead world public opinion and that their news media spread alI sorts of malicious and slan- derous allegations about internal developments in Afghan- istan. The gross distortion of events in Afghanistan and around it is used by those in imperialist and hegemonist quarters to cover up their adventurist aggressive plans in Asia and the Gulf, to build up their military forces in that area and to justify the armaments race, in particular the nuclear arms race. 39. Lie number one used by the'imperialist media is an allegation that there is widespread people's resistance to the "Marxist regime" in Afghanistan. Not.'ling could be further from the real facts. In fact, the resistance to the Afghan revolution is put up by a handful of former feudal lords and their lackeys, who, like their ancestors, sucked the blood of the Afghan people and lived in luxury, dooming the people to misery and deprivation. Their struggle against the people and the Revolutionary Govern- ment of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is an ob- jective phenomenon of the class struggle. They are des- perately trying to regain their lost privileges, and they fight not for the freedom of the people but for the free- dom to exploit them. Counter-revolutionary bands of mer- cenaries and. terrorists daily invade Afghanistan from out- side, disrupting the normal life of the people, the vast majority of whom support the people's power; those bands kill government and party officials,' women, ;~hil- . dren and the elderly, destroy and bum schools and hospi- , tals and loot people's and state property. To call those people "Mujahideen", or freedom fighters, is a sheer in- sult to common sense. They are the arch-enemies of the Afghan people. 40. The Afghan army, P9lice and security forces, sup- ported by the people, deal blow Uafter blow to the bandits, capture them and disarm them. The counter-revolutionary terrorist bands would have been wiped out and suppressed long ago had they not been supported by those in the 41 . The second slanderous assertion is that the present Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is not supported by the people. But any unbiased observer visiting Afghanistan these days can see with his own eyes that the Revolutionary Government of Afghanistan is en- joying ever greater support from all strata of the popula- tion, that that political and social foundation of the Gov- ernment is being expanded and enhanced and that the organs of people's power are being strengthened. The .Afghan people are rallying behind the National Pc1therland Front. During .1980-1981 conferences and meetings of the representatives of various strata and groups of the popula- tion were held-trade unions, democratic youth, demo- cratic women, farmers, clergy, tribesmen, writers,·artists, journalists-and all of them expressed their support for the idea of the-National Pc1therland Front. Of great impor- tance in this respect was the conference of Moslem schol- ars, ulamas, and other representatives of the Afghan clergy, who appealed to all Afghan Moslems to help the Government create the Nationa! Pc1therland Front. 42. The policies of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan are also founded on sincere re- spectand care for the historical, spIritual and cultural tra- ditions and interests of all the nationalities and tribes of the country. Therefore, the Government enjoys the ever increasing support of the tribes. A joint Jirgah of the Pashtun tribes and representatives of major nationalities of Afghanistan, held in May 1981, took a decision to join the· National Pc1therland Front. On 15 June this year the founding Congress of the National Pc1therland Front was held in Kabul and more than 900 representatives of all classes and strata of the population participated in it. The following organizations joined the Front: the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, trade unions, farmers' co-operatives, the Supreme Jirgah of tribes, the High Council of scholars and clergy, the Democratic Organiza- tion of Afghan Youth, the Democratic Organization of Afghan Women, and others. The Congress elected the National Pc1therland Front Executive Committee, adopted its constitution and issued an appeal to the people of the region to safeguard peace and security. 43. The consolidation and strengthening of the National Pc1therland Front, whose pillars were formed by workers, peasants, intellectuals, craftsmen, national traders, patri- otic ulama and clergy and other members of the toiling sectors, stand as testimony to the detennination and will of our people to reach the great objectives of the Saur revolution. The National Pc1therland Front unites all na- tional and democratic forces under the leadership of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan,' all fraternal nationalities and tribes residing in Afghanistan..This unity of all national forces within the National Pc1therland Front provides a fertile ground for the participation of all in the work of building a new society and in the struggle againSt the counter-revolution. The formation of the National Pc1- therland Front as a proud symbol of the popular support for the revolutionary sovereignty of Afghanistan and as the rallying point for all strata of the population and so- cial and national forces vividly demonstrate.~ that the aspi- rations of the people, of the People's Democratic Party and of the Government are being realized step by step and stage by stage. 45. As part of the efforts of the Government in the in- terests of the sacred religion of Islam, a Supreme Council of Clergy and Religious Scholars has been establish~ for the first time in the long history of Afghanistan. Simi- larly, the establishment of the Islamic Affairs Department manifests the Government's sincere will to preserve Islam as a sacred religion. The Department, since its inception, has carried out constructive and important measures to provide facilities for religious rites for the Moslem people of Afghanistan. For instance, the tremendous facilitfes-' provided for the hajis made it possible for a large number of our compatriots to make a pilgrimage to Holy Mecca this year. As far as the religious establishments are con- cerned, not only have measures been adopted to protect and maintain them, but new mosques and large places of worship have been constructed in various cities and others are under construction. The Government, through the Is- lamic Affairs Department, has undertaken vast and com- prehensive programmes for the renovation and restoration of mosques which have been damaged through the pas- sage of time or as a result of anti-Islamic acts by counter- revolutionaries. It is gratifying to note that the Moslem people of Afghanistan, including the clergy and religious scholars, whole-heartedly support the plans and pro- grammes of the Government and the measures already taken towards alleviating the misery of the long-suffering people of Afghanistan and for the sake of the future pros- perity and development of the country. Islam is com- pletely respected in Afghanistan and Islamic rites are strictly observed in accordance with the Holy Koran. In Afghanistan a genuinely pure Islamic faith is preached, not the one propagated by the United States and Britain, which is practised by some other countries. Let it be known that Islam is nobody's and no country's monopoly. 46. The fourth baseless assertion is that the economy of Afghanistan is in a shambles and that the living standard of the people has been deteriorating. On the contrary, de- spite the difficulties and dislocations caused by systematic raids by armed bands and outside aggression, the Afghan economy is in comparatively good shape and in 1980-1981 a satisfactory harvest of basic crops was reaped. 47. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan exerts every effort to improve the life of the peasants and of the farming population. As part of the efforts to develop agriculture, in which some 85 per cent of the country's manpower is engaged, the Government has undertaken sweeping and comprehensive programmes. Through interested and concerned organizations it has in- creased technical and financial a£sistance to farmers and provided them with technical guidance. The Agricultural Development Bank. the Afghan Chemical Fertilizer Com- pany and the Afghan Seeds Company have increased the scope of their activities in providing farmers with easy- 48; As a result of all these comprehensive and construc- tive plans, as well as the hard and concerted work put in by the Afghan peasants and stock-breeders, the overall agricultural yield and livestock output have registered in- creases over last year's figures. Among other things, the harvest of cotton, an important industrial crop of the country, is also expected to surpass last year's figure by 15,000 tons and the sugar output by 10,000 tons. 49. To improve the well-being of workers and civil ser- vants, the Government has raised wages, salaries and food allowances, and has taken steps to upgrade the liv- ing conditions of the toiling people in the cities. The Government has also paid great attention to education and health ,gCtV;icesi:iUiteracy.·among adults is being wiped out and 10~year free school education is being introduced. 50. The fifth assertion is that Pakistan has nothing to do with the interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and the, armed aggression from outside. We have been told that the sole motive of the Pakistani authorities is purely ·'humanitarian"; and that they are mainly con- cerned with the plight of so-called Afghan refugees. We have been assured that Pakistan does not allow its terri- tory to be used as a conduit for the flow of arms into Afghanistan. However, these statements are in utter con- tradiction of the reality. There is ample and convincing evidence from all the available sources that Pakistani terri- tory is actively used, and on an ever-increasing scale, by all and sundry as a springboard for armed aggression and subversion against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Moreover, the hostile, anti-Afghan activities from ·the territory of Pakistan are being carried out with the tacit approval of the Pakistani authorities, and some- times' with their direct participation. .51. Is .is well,known that immediately after the victory of the April revolution in Afghanistan most of the coun- ter-revo}utionary Afghan elements and their ringleaders fled to Pakistan and, ,with the support of the United States, China and certain reactionary Moslem regimes, began to form armed bands for armed aggression and subversive activities against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. . 52. At least six counter-revolutionary organizations are located in Pakistan: Hezbe Islami, lamiate Islamie Afghanistan, the National Front of Islamic Revolution of Afghanistan. the Front of National Liberation. the Revo- lutionary Islamic Movement of Afghanistan and a group of Yunis Khalis which split from Hezbe Islami. The, .. headquarters of these organizations are located in, Peshawar, near the Pakistani border wnth Afghanistan. The ringleaders of these groups, with the tacit agreement of the authorities, move freely about the country recruiting mercenaries; they have special passes for unrestricted travd throughout the frontier area. They also maintain regular contacts with members of the missions of the United States and other Western countries as well as the Embassy of China in Islamabad. They pay regular visits to the capitals of some Western and Moslem countries 53. There are five major centres of counter-revolutionary' terrorist activities, and about 80 smaller training camps, sanctuaries and bases in the border area of Pakistan. The' major centres are located in Peshawar, Chitral, Bajaur, Miranshah and Quetta. A detailed description of anti-' Afghan activities from these bases is given in two book- lets, The Undeclared War and The White Book, published in 1980 by the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, which, on our request, are being distributed to delegations together with the text of my statement. The evidence contained in these booklets is based on informa- tion received from the competent Afghan authorities, in- cluding the army and the security forces command. Most of the information was provided by mercenaries and ter- rorists captured in the course of operations against coun- ter-revolutionary bands. 54. There is ample evidence that the Pakistani au- thorities and army are directly involved in the hostileac- tivities against Afghanistan. They not only support the counter-revolutionary subversive groups, but also organize and co-ordinate their activities. Anti-Afghan armed terror- ist band~ have complete freedom of movement in the frontier area and across the border. They are allowed to hold meetings and carry out recruiting campaigns. They use government printing presses and radio transmitters to disseminate anti-Afghan propaganda. The inflammatory slanderous allegations of the enemies of Afghanistan are broadcast daily from Peshawar and Quetta by government tran~mitters. In Peshawar, counter-revolutionary groups publish a few propaganda sheets and thousands of copies of hostile leaflets for distribution in Afghanistan. Hezbe lsla'mi alone publishes in Pakistan and Iran eight news- papers and magazines; a few newspapers and a magazine are published by lamiate Islami. Thus, full-scale propa- ganda warfare against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is waged from the territory of Pakistan, and with the connivance of the Islamabad authorities. The Pakistani authorities and army command are directly in- .volved and take an activ~ part in forming counter-revolu- tionary bands and dispatching them across the border into Afghanistan. Pakistani frontier troops and their headquar- ters also help to smuggle all kinds of weapons and am- munition across the border for terrorist bands operating in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. A network of hospitals has been set up in the border area of Pakistan for the treatment of terrorists and mercenaries wounded in skirmishes with the Afghan army and security forces. 55. The head of State and other top-level Pakistani offi- cials pay regular visits to training camps and bases of the counter-revolutionary organizations located in the Peshawar and Quetta areas, make inciting statements and reassure them of Islamabad's official support for their anti-Afghan activities. With the connivance of the Islamabad au- thorities, all Western and Chinese dignitaries visiting Pakistan go to the mercenaries' camps near the Afghan border, make inciting statements and promise all sorts of assistance to them. This year alone the counter-revolution- ary hornets' nests were visited by several United States congressmen; the United States Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, lames Buckley; the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, Lord Carrington; the British Prime ~istan's Government, the North-West Frontier Province has been turned into a gigantic base for the enemies of the Afghan revolution. It has been turned .into a bri~gehead used by world imperialism, Chinese hegemo- nis.m and Moslem rea~tion to wage an undeclared war against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. 57. The sixth absolutely baseless assertion is that the so-c~lled resistance to the Afghan revolution is of an in- digenous character and is not supported from abroad. The objective truth, however, is that world imperialism, Chi- nese hegemonism and some Moslem reactionary regimes have never reconciled themselves to the victory of the April 1978 revolution in Afghanistan. These quarters have gone out of th~ir way to ren~er ~ll-round support to the counter-revolutionary gioup~ and their terrorist bands; they covertly and overtly participate in the anned intervention against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The coun- ter-revolutionary gangs of armed mercenaries are paid in United States dollars, Chinese yuan renminbi, British pounds, West German marks, Saudi riyals, and so forth. They are armed with American, British, Chinese, West German and Egyptian weapons; they are trained by Amer- ican, Chinese, Egyptian and Pakistani instructors. Some of the Western countries have declared the policy of inter- ference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan to be their official policy. President Reagan, for instance, announced last March that the United States Government, if requested would supply henceforth the so-called Afghan Mujahideen with weapons and ammunition. The covert Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] operation in support of Afghan counter-revolutionaries, which was started under President Carter, became an overt policy of President Rea- gan's. Administration. The United States intervention in the internal affairs of Afghanistan is being extended and intensified. Ample proof of that is provided by the Ameri- can news media. 58. A well-known American journalist, Carl Bernstein, sheds some additional light on the origin and scope of the international imperialist conspiracy against Afghanistan, headed by the United States and also involving China, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In an article in The New Republic, of 18 July 198.1, he writes that: "Planning for the operation [against Afghanistan] was personally ordered by President Carter and carried out under the direct supervision of his national security adviser, Zbigniew 5rzezinski, and his CIA Director, Stansfield Turner". According to him, a few hours after the beginning of the new phase of the Afghan revolution, ". . . the President told a meeting of the National Security Council that the United States had 'a moral obligation' to help arm the resistance.... Increased American assistance, the President told his aides, should do nothing to disturb the impression that the Afghan struggle was an Islamic struggle. Co-ordination with the Islamic countries has been conducted by the CIA through its counterpart intelligence services. . .". He discloses that Senator Birch Bayh, then the Committee Chairman, said in an interview with. ABC News that the CIA recognized that the -Afghans had to be supplied with weapons that were effective against the gunships. He continues: "Above all, that meant heat-seeking missiles- SAM-7s ... RPG anti-tank rockets; anti-aircraft guns, Kalashnikov (AF-47) assault rifles and machine guns...". He points out that: "Not a single objection to the CIA's proposal was raised on the Oversight Committee. . . . "While the Senate Committee was being briefed, Defense Secretary Harold Brown was in Peking. . . . "The secret part of his agenda dealt primarily with Afghanistan". The article states that according.to one participant iri·~thir' discussions, .. 'There was an implicit agreement [that both sides] would do things in parallel'. The Chinese agreed to permit overflights of their territory for planes carrying arms bound eventually for Afghanistan. The Chinese also would help supply the SAM-7s and RPG anti-tank rockets. And if the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan were closed, the Chinese would take over the trans-shipment of weapons-permitting planes to unload in China and providing Chinese personnel to carry the cargo across the difficult Chinese-Afghan frontier. . "The roles of the other nations involved in the covert . operation have remained constant since the operation began. The United States has provided financial as- sistance, $20 million to $30 million to start, consider- ably more since; has arranged the purchase of some weapons on the international arms market; and is the operation's primary planner and co-ordinator. Saudi Arabia has undertaken the other major financing role, equal to or greater than that of the United States. The Saudis, who also bankroll much of Pakistan's military budget, have kept a firm hend on the Pakistanis, push- ing them-at United States urging-to keep their border open for the transfer of armr; to Afghanistan. The Egyptians have provided training for the Afghan guerrilla fighters and serve as the major source of arms-supplying weapons obtained from the Soviet.· Union during the years of Egyptian-Soviet friendship, and tons of replicated Soviet armaments, turned out in factories on the outskirts of Cairo." 59. In that article Carl Bernstein also discloses certain facts which testify to an unsavoury role played by Pakistan in smuggling arms to the terrorist bands across the border: He writes: "Pakistan, the country most essential to the opera- tion's success, allows the weapons to be moved across its 1ADO-mile border with Afghanistan. But the Pakistanis.. . . have been reluctant to aid the insur- gency openly. Even today, Pakistani diplomats, who were deliber~tely excluded from a role in the opera- tion's planning, continue to insist that Pakistan is not officially co-operating in any venture to ~ the ~- The.article describes how the anus-smuggling operation is carned out: "The weapons arrive as air cargo in Pdkistan, in planes whose markings are constantly changed. There, under the supervision of the Pakistani Inter-Services In- telligence Directorate, the arms are transferred to the 'mujahideen', who carry them across the border on the backs of men or mules, then up into the mountain passes where the weapons are distributed to bands of tribesmen in the camps." The article discloses "that the flow of arms started at the beginning of 1980. We read: "In October 1980, the Carter Administration and the Islamic States committed themselves to a significant in- crease in the level of aid, particularly heavy equipment for anti-tank and anti-aircraft warfare. The effects of those shipments ber1.n to be felt this spring [1981]. The Reagan AdminisLation has since reviewed the clan- destine operation and ordered it expanded. Pakistan, impressed with the Administration's pledge of $3 bil- lion in long-term military credits, has eased some of its restrictions on the quantity of arms crossing the border. " 60. The evidence given by Bernstein in the article from which I have just quoted, was corroborated by none other than the late 'President Sadat of..Egypt. In an interview from Cairo, broadcast by NBC News on the evening of 22 September he said that the United States had been buying Soviet-made arms from his country for more than 2.1 months and flying them to rebel forces in Afghanistan. He added that he had been approached by United States authorities in late December 1979. "1 opened my stores to thef!l", Mr. Sad~t said. The weapons, the exact nature of which was not specified, were flown from Cairo in American aircraft to Mistan, and from there clan- destinely smuggled to Afghanistakl. Mr. Sadat said that the arms shipment would continue as a token of his deter- mination to "fight communism". Thus, the late President once again fully and openly admitted his outright com- plicity in an international imperialist conspiracy against th~ Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He admitted With unprecedented cynicism that the weapons earmarked to fight Israeli aggression and to defend the national inter- ests of.the ~g~ptian people were used by him and United States Impenahsm to strangle the Afghan revolution. The day after the late Mr. Sadat's revelations to the NBC net- work, the same Mr. 'Bernstein, in an interview on an ABC programme, revealed some additional details I of what the former Egyptian President had disclosed. He pointed out that: "The clandestine operations to supply arms to the rebels . . . are much wider in scope and much more complicated than what was indicated by Sadat. They are co-ordinated by the CIA, and apart from the United States and Egypt, China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia take part in them." 62. I have dwelt in some detail on the evidence proving beyond any doubt that the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan is a prime target of a wide international con- spiracy spearheaded by the United States and China, which use for this purpose the territory of Pakistan. 63. It is our strong feeling that if the Assembly wants to ensure justice and to maintain the lofty principles embod- ied in the Charter of the United Nations it should reso- lutely and unequivocally condemn the continued inter- ference in the internal affairs of the Democratic Republic C!f Afghanistan by imperialist, hegemonist and other reac- tIOnary forces, including acts of aggression carried out from the territories of neighbouring States. ~4. Confronted with this ever-increasing and. intensify- . 109 aggression from outside backed by imperialist and hegemonist forces. the Afghan people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan had no alter- native but to appeal to their traditional friend, the Soviet Union, for assistance in repulsing intervention and aggres- sion. The Afghan Government asked the Soviet Govern- ment to send a limited contingent of Soviet troops to Afghanistan to help the Afghan army and people to ward off the foreign aggression, to safeguard the territorial in- tegrity of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and to defend the gains of the April revolution. The Afghan Government asked the Soviet Union for military aid in a legitimate way in strict accordance with the Charter and article 4 of the Afghan-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Co-operation, which says that the parties shall consult and take appropriate measures with a view to ensuring the security, independence and territorial integrity of both countries. 65. On 24 June Babrak Karmal, General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party and President of the Revo- lutionary Council of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, stated: ''As long as we have no guarantees that the gross provocations will not be repeated. that interference in our internal affairs will stop, the Soviet help will con- tinue. The forces of imperialism, hegemonism and re- action which threaten our country are in fact the obsta- cle preventing the limited contingent of Soviet forces from returning to tneir peace-loving country." 66. The Government and people of the Democratic Re- pub of Afghanistan are quite confident that ·'they can 67. Therefore, despite the hostile activities carried out from the territories of the neighbouring countries, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan has repeatedly expressed its willingness and sincere desire to restore normal, friendly and good-neighbourly relations with Pclkistan and Iran. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan has on many occasions expressed its pre- paredness for a solution of the differences through talks and bilateral negotiations. We have made every possible effort to normalize the situation in the region. Striving to defuse the tension in the area, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Government as far back as May 19802 put forward a comprehensive and realistic programme for a political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan which evolved as a result of armed aggression from out- side and other fonns of interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. 68. On 24 August this year the Afghan Government came forward with a new peace initiative and conveyed to the Governments of Pakistan and Iran elaborate proposals aimed at a political settlement and nonnalization of rela- tions with those countries by means of direct negotiations. These proposals reflected the expep,ence accumulated dur- ing the indirect contacts with the Government of Pakistan during the year and took into account certain new realities and some of the suggestions made by the Pakistani side. 69. The main aim and the basic essence of a political settlement remain the same-to secure the complete and reliable cessation of armed or any other intervention in the domestic affairs of the Democn~tic Republic of Afghanistan and to create conditions making impossible the recurrence of such intervention in the future. 70. However, guided by goodwill and trying to remove all obstacles on the way to a dialogue with the neighbour- ing countries, the Afghan Government made some sub- stantial modifications to its initial proposals of 14 May 1980. Let me dwell on the new proposals in some detail, because imperialist and hegemonist propaganda is trying to play down their significance. maintaining that they have no new ideas. The text of our new proposals h. been circulated as an official document [AI361457]. 72. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan has already indicated that it does not object to the presence of the Secretary-General or his representa- tive in such negotiations, be they bilateral or trilateral. We are grateful to the Secretary-General for the efforts he has already made to bring the interested parties together. 73. As we have pointed out, the major essence of the agreements between the countries concerned should be the tennination and guaranteed non-resumption of the anned or li:ly other intervention in the affairs of Afghanistan. To facilitate such agreements, the Afghan Government for its part is ready to reaffinn its continued determination to pursue the policy of peace and non-alignment and its de- sire to develop friendly relations with all countries, partic- ularly the neighbouring countries. 74. It is imperative that such agreements have reliable international guarantees for their implementation. The dis- cussion of the problems relating to such guarantees can be started at the same time as the bilateral or trilateral talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran and may be pur- sued in parallel. Initially, such a discussion could take place by way of multilateral consultations and, at a later stage, at a relevant international forum. It goes without saying that the working out of the international guaran- tees, as v.ell as the solution of other problems touching upon the national interests of Afghanistan, should be car- ried out only with the full-scale and equal participation ot the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. 75. With regard to the withdrawal from Afghanistan of the limited contingent of Soviet troops, we should point out that reaching agreement on a political settlement providing for a complete termination and non-recurrence. of armed and other forms of interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, including the working out of ap- propriate international guarantees, would make it possible to establish, by agreement between the Governments of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union, a procedure and time- table for the withdrawal of the troops. The pull-out of the troops could be carried out to the extent that. progress was made in implementing the agreements. So the sooner the agreements are reached and implemented, the earlier the Soviet troops will be withdrawn. 76. In order to create the most favourable conditions for the negotiations, the Government of the Democratic Re- public of Afghanistan is ready to discuss with the Gov- ernments of Iran and Pakistan other problems of mutual interest, so as to facilitate the normalization of relations among them. For instance, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan will be ready to discuss with Iran such prob- 77. We express once again our regret that certain quar- ters have imposed on the Assembly this futile debate, which is aimed at interfering in the internal affairs of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and at whipping up tension around Afghanistan. This is particularly deplora- ble in the light of the latest encouraging developments, with contacts having taken place between the representa- tives of Afghanistan and Pakistan through the good offices of the Secretary-General. We are of the opinion that these contacts have proved to be useful and we are ready to continue them. There is no doubt that the adoption by the General Ass.embly of any resolution hostile to Afghanistan would only impede progress on the way to a political settlement. We are certainly aware that such a course of events would correspond to the sinister calcula- tions of those quarters which are not interested in a politi- cal settlement and do everything to torpedo it. But we are convinced that such a turn of events would run counter to the interests of the peace-loving countries and the interests of peace in Asia and the world at large.

It is with a sense of profound concern that I participate in this debate tQday to share some thoughts with members of the Assembly on a problem which carries serious implications for international peace and security. Two years ago, when Sovi~t troops and annour struck across the border into Afghanistan, occupied that country, removed its legitimate Government and installed a puppet regime, the world re- acted with understandable vehemence and indignation. It was natural for the world to have reacted in the manner it did against what was clearly a blatant act of aggression and anned intervention by a super-Power in the internal affairs of an independent non-aligned country. Rightly, the international community overwhelmingly condemned the Soviet action f\nd demanded the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan in order to enable the people of that country to determine their own future free from outside intervention. 79. But these demands, made successively by the Gen- eral Assembly at the emergency special session in January 1980 and the thirty-fifth session, as well as by the Isla- mic Conference and the non-aligned movement, have fallen on deaf ears in the Soviet Union. Today more than 80,000 Soviet troops continue to occupy Afghanistan in support of an illegal Government that they have helped to establish. They are being deployed to put down the Afghan people, which are waging a valiant struggle for independence and freedom from foreign domination. 80. For us members of the international communitYJ in particular the small developing nations, the issue at stake is whether an external Power is to be allowed to interfere .with impunity in the affairs of another State for the sake of its own selfish, ideological and strategic interests. Far from peripheral, the issue impinges on the basic princi- ples of the Charter, and indeed on the whole foundation of international peace and security. The vety fact that the General Assembly is once again addressing itself to the situation in Afghanistan, after having done so for the last 81. Only four weeks ago the Assembly debated tlte sit- uation in Kampuchea, a country against which a similar act of intervention had taken place exactly one year before the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan. The same argu- ments advanced by the handful of delegations in support of the intervention in Kampuchea are being advanced to support Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. Indeed, the close similarities between the two events and the argu- ments advanced to support them are no coincidence, for there is a definite, disturbing link, between them. They are clearly part of a big-Power strategy to gain advantages and domination in various parts of the world. The timing of these two events, coming at a time when the other .super-Power, the United States, was seen to be retreating from the regions concerned, clearly points to the oppor- tunistic nature of Soviet policy in order to extend its hegemony &..lld inflgence. 82. I often wonder why big-Power rivalries should in- duce the Soviet Union to emulate the experience of the United States. It is ironic that the Soviet Union has its own Viet Nam in Afghanistan, and no doubt will end up sooner or later the same way. And because a United States submarine succeeded in knocking off a Japanese fishing vessel, the Soviet Union has to go one better by getting one of her submarines stranded on the sand:; of Sweden. What is happening in Afghanistan is a cause for concern to all of us, particularly the small developing na- . tions, which are anxious to free ourselves from external Power domination and influence and consolidate onr hard- won independence on the basis of the policy of nCin-align- ment. The fact that the Soviet Union was not mentioned by name in the communique of the non-aligned move- ment relating to the situation in Afghanistan could not hide our deep disappointment and indignation at the ac.. tion of a super-Power that often claims to be a supporter of the third world and the non-aligned movement. 83. The immediate' consequences of the Soviet action in Afghanistan are all well known to us. Today, over 2 mil- lion Afghan refugees have crossed the border into neigh- bouring Pakistan ar..d Iran in search of safety from the dangers of the repression mounted by the illegal Govern- ment backed by Soviet troops, putting tremendous pres- sures and burdens on the two neighbouring countries. The obvious dangers of the presence of such a large number of refugees in the two countries to those countries' peace and stability cannot be over-emphasized. As any country which continues to face the problems of refugee influx from neighbouring countries, Malaysia is fully conscious of the tremendous pressure and burden that they, and in particular Pakistan, have to bear under such circum- stances. In this regard, I wish to salute the Government and people of Pakistan for their forbearance and sacrifice in the cause of humanity. 84. The trampling on Afghanistan's sovereignty and ter- ritorial integrity apart, thee mere presence of such a lurge number of fore~gn troops in the country, backed by so- phisticated annour and war equipment, has added a dan- gerous dimension to the security problem of .the entire region. Positioned within easy striking distance of neigh- 85. During the general debate in this very Assembly at the beginning of this session I was struck by the unan- imous concern expressed by heads of delegations at the deterioration of world peace and security arising from the blatant use of force in international relations. There was a general appeal for a return to the spirit of Dumbarton Oaks that had spawned the ideals and principles of the Charter. Let me not repeat what I myself said in my own statement at the 10th meeting of the Assembly. But, in all humility, I must once again remind all present here today that the use of force in the search for power and influence in a situation in which major Powers are armed to the teeth could not but endanger the security of the entire world. There is no alternative but to return to the basic principles enshrined in the Charter. 86. In the context of Afghanistan, there is therefore an urgent need for the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops from the country and to participate in a peaceful approach to the solution of the country's problems consistent with the principles of the Charter. Such an approa,;.;~~ rrmst pave the way for tlie people of Afghanistan to deteunine their own form of government and their future, fret: from out- side interference. It must also lead to the creation of the necessary conditions to enable the people of Afghanistan who have fled to neighbouring countries to return to their homes in safety and honour. Failure to include all these elements will only prolong the c;onflict in that country. 87. We note that in pursuance of General Assembly res- olution 35/37 the Secretary-General appointed a Personal Representative to undertake the necessary consultations with all parties concerned in order to promote a political solution to the present problem in Afghanistan. Commend- able as the work of the Personal Representative has been, it could not be expected to achieve any meaningful result as long as foreign troops continue to remain in Afghanistan. In urging the Soviet Union to co-operal~ with all the parties concerned in the effort to bring about the return of peace and stability to Afghanistan consistent with the principles of the Charter, we cannot but share a feeling of humane concern at the fate of millions of inno- cent Afghans who have been driven from their homes and are now living the life of refugees in neighbouring coun- tries. Pending a political solution which wou.ld enable these people to return to their homes, the international community must show its responsibility by coming to the assistance of these people and providing adequate relief aid to meet their basic needs. The problem of refugees is 89. My delegation is a sponsor of draft resolution A/36/ L.15; we see in it all the necessary elements for an equi- table solution of the problem. It is a practical draft resolu- tion that is capable of being implemented. We urge all Member States to give their full support to it. If, in spite of our sincere and moderate demands, the draft resolution continues to go unheeded, then it is the responsibility of all those who support this draft resoluti9n to ensure that the i1fghan nationalist struggle is sustained, particularly when the success of such a struggle only strengthens the cause of non-intervention.

It is to be regretted that tlie General Assembly has once again found itself embroiled in an unseemly venture and, contrary to the fundamental principles of the Charter, is being used by some States to interfere in the internal affairs of so,~~reign Afghanistan. It will be recalled that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan has repeatedly and strongly protested at the fuss surrounding the so- called '~ghan question" orchestrated in the Organization by the forces of imperialism and hegemonism. The Soviet delegation, fully supporting this position of Afghanistan, opposed the inclusion in the agenda of the current session of the item entitled "The situation in Afghanistan and its consequences for international peace and security". Yet, inasmuch as the debate has begun and a number of coun- tries have submitted a draft resolution, allow me to make a few comments. 91. Those who took the lead in raising the question now under consideration in the United Nations are trying to contend that the develooments that occurred in that coun- try after the April 1978 revolution and the friendly as- sistance provided to its Government by the. Soviet Union in order to protect the gains of the revolution and the 92. At the same time, Afghanistan itself is a victim of a real, albeit undeclared, war involving weapons and eco- nomic, political and propaganda means, as has been irre- futably proved by numerous facts. Against whom and against what is this war being waged? In answering that question it is necessary to bear in mind current develop- ments in Afghanistan and the concerns of that country and its people. 93. It may be recalled that before the April 1978 revolu- tion Afghanistan was one of the most economically back- ward countries. In view of this the Government of dem- ocratic Afghanistan from the very outset directed its efforts primarily towards ensuring the development and improvement of the national economy and of the cultural standards of the population. Today, if we are to take an objective and impartial attitude, it is impossible not to recognize the obvious fact that despite the economic dis- location and other difficulties caused by outside inter- ference, the Afghan revolution is successfully coping with broad democratic tasks. The country-is carrying out agrar- iav refonn that has given land and water to tens of thou- sWlds of peasants. Economic plans are being implemented to ensure the development of both public and private sec- tors. Afghanistan, the population of which has been al- most totally illiterate for centuries, has begun ta build hundreds of schools and set up courses to combat illit- eracy. The living standards of the people have markedly improved. As a result the political and social foundations of the new system and Government have been expanded, as manifested by the establishment of the National Father- land Front, in which, virtually qll classes and social groups of the Afghan peol?le supporting the goals of the national democratic revolution are represented. 94. In Afghanistan the political, economic and social rights of the individual, including freedom of religion and respect for Islam, are fully guaranteed. The conference of Moslem scholars, ulamas, and other representatives of the clergy discuss and settle matters which guarantee obser- vance of the princ:.,les of Islam. A special Islamic Affairs Department has been set up within the Government. Cen; tral and local authorities help preserve and properly main~ tain mosques and other places of worship. For their part~ the clergy participate within the framework of the Na- tional Fatherland Front in the social and political life of the country. 95. For developing countries which are themselves try- ing to break away from the grip of underdevelopment and to keep abreast of the pace of progress it is easy to miller- stand the meaning and historical significance of t~,ese 96. In the United Nations talk is often heard about Afghan refugees. To understand the reasons why some Afghans have found themselves out of their country it is lecessary to take into accounc the specific conditions ob- :aining in Afghanistan, with its sizeable nomadic popula- tion, ties of kinship and tribal interests. It is also neces- sary to take stock of the fact that a change in the social and economic system of a State often involves a certain exodus of people from that country because some accept the new regime while others do not. The history of Eng- land, Russia, Germany, France and many other countries provides evidence of this. 97. Emigration from Afghanistan should not be regarded as a cJ,1lcial or insurmountable problem. The Afghan Gov- ernment has no intention whatsoever of taking revenge on those who have left their country. On the contrary, it en- courages them to come back and expresses its readiness to ensure-as it in fact does ensure-the conditions for a peaceful life. To that end special legislation has been en- acted in the country. The decree of 18 June 198~ of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, as well as some other official documents concerning a general amnesty, guarantees to those Afghans ~ho come back their safety, a free choice of residence and all the conditions necessary for their par- ticipation in economic and political life. 98. However, the fact should not be ignored that there are forces that are actively engaged in blocking the peace- ful return of Afghans to their homes and that are anxious to use them as tools in their struggle against the new democratic system in Afghanistan. Those forces finance and arm Afghan counter-revolutionaries. It is known that a leading role in this is p~ayed by the United States. And Beijing is not far behind. The Afghan people would have created peaceful conditions in their country long ago had it not been for the support those in imperialist and hegemonist circles are providing to the gangs of counter- revolutionary terrorists. It will be recalled that at one time, contrary to the obvious and well-known facts, those that mounted an armed struggle against the Afghan peo- ple and their achievements tried to deny their involvement in this flagrant violation of internatfonal law, counting on the so-called covert operations to be carried out by mili- tary and special services personnel. But the "secret" is gradually coming out into the open. The statement made by President Reagan during his second month in office about the intention of giving military aid to Afghan coun- ter-revolutionaries was not merely an official confirmation of that dangerous policy; it elevated United States armed interference in the affairs of .Afghanistan to a qualitatively new plane. That statement by the United States President was followed by specific moves. This year the United States has allocated nearly $ tOO million for arming and training bandits in special camps on Pakistani territory.. It 99. One of the main purposes of Secretary of State Haig's visit to Beijing last summer was clearly to make China a trans-shipment base for the supply of arms to Afghan counter-revolutionary organizations. Aides to the Secretary of State, according to The New York Times of 18 June 1981, stated that "... the United States stood to gain from a strategic Chinese-American consensus and they expected closer co-ordination on such issues as So- viet influence in Cambodia and Afghanistan". 100. What is the United States seeking in South-West Asia? The United States Secretary of State Haig, speaking on 30 July of this year before the Senate Armed Services Committee, gave the following reply to that question: "In Southwest Asia, the United States is seeking a strategic consensus among our friends directed t.:ward the common Soviet threat. We are attempting to con- vince them that we are a reliable and capable security partner, serious about defending our vital interests in their region in partnership with them. The U.S. naval presence in the Indian Ocean, our efforts to improve security relations with Pakistan, and the generally ex- panded security assistance budget requests for South- west Asia are examples of this."3 Naturally, that concept leaves no room for a political set- tlement of the situation around Afghanistan, while usual talk about the perceived "Soviet threat" merely serves to justify the expai1sion of United States military presence in the area. 10l. In a letter to the editor of The New York Times published in the issue of 4 May of this year, L. Poullada, former State Department specialist in Afghan affairs, re- vealed United States designs in a more cynical and blunt manner: "American officials talk big about a Rapid De- ployment Force for the Middle East but it has so far failed to materialize. The Afghans, however, have already provided us with such a force on the ground and in actual physical contact with the enemy." 102. These confessions show with what disdain Wash- ington treats the interests of other ·peoples and how false are the contentions of United States officials concerning their alleged selfless solidarity with Afghan rebels and with Pakistan. Apparently, the United States would prefer Afghanistan to be what Iran was under the Shah, in other words, a military stronghold of American imperialism against neighbouring ,countries, rather than a democratic non-aligned State. 103. Surprisingly, those in Washington who have de- clared a crusade against "international terrorism~' are in fact encouraging Afghan insurgents who terrorize their own people and are providing material support for their criminal acts. They brand as terrorists those who fight for the just and inalienable rights of the Palestinians while hailing as "freedom fighters" those who till children, teachers and clergymen in Afghanistan. Is there any logic in all of this? 104. If the tension in the situation around Afghanistan is to be defused and a political settlement of the situation is to be achieved, it is essential above all to ensure the "There is a basis for a political settlement; it is sim- ple and, given goodwill, can be translated into reality. A constructive programme to this effect was set forth in the Statement by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan on 24 August this year." [7th meeting, para. 145.] The content of those specific and elaborate proposals was clarified by Shah Mohammad Dost, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, in his statement before the Gen-·· eral Assembly on 22 September of this year and in' the statement just made by the representative of Afghanistan. 105. This plan for a political settlement is logical, flexi- ble and realistic. It deals constructively both with substan- tive matters and with a framework for proposed talks with the Governments of the neighbouring countries. The pro- posals of the Afghan side take into account some of the wishes expressed by the other parties concerned and are a gesture of goodwill aimed at bringing about an early start of a meaningful dialogue. 106. The Afghan side expresses its readiness to conduct not only bilateral negotiations separately with Pakistan and Iran, although they still seem to be more preferable as the ~;.ortest path to agreement. In its latest proposals the Afgt.dn Government gave its consent to trilateral talks if Afghanistan's partners in the talks find them more suit- able. Moreover, Afghanistan does not object to the Secre- tary-General or his Personal Representative attending those negotiations, be they bilateral or trilateral. Of course, the talks should deal with the international aspects of the Afghan problem rather than with the domestic af- fairs of Afghanistan, which are fully and entirely within the competence of the Government of Afghanistan. 107. Agreements to normalize relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours should be complemented by appropriate international guarantees that would provide for the cessation and non-resumption of armed or any other fqrms of interference in Afghan affairs. Such guar- antees should be an integral part of a political settlement. We share the view of the Afghan Government that the USSR, the United States and other countries acceptable to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and its neigh- bours should figure among the countries extending such guarantees. 108. It is highly important to note that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghani~tandoesnot ob., " ject to the discussion of questions pertaining to the elab- . oration of international guarantees being initiated simul- taneously and conducted in parallel with, bilateral or trilateral negotiations among Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. During the initial stage such a discussion might be conducted in the form of informal multilateral consulta- tions and later on at a relevant international forum. It goes without saying that the examination of any problem concerning Afghanistan, including the situation that has developed around that country, should involve Afghanistan, in other words, specifically the Government which exists in Afghanistan and in effect exercises author- ity there. The achievement of a political settlement would create conditions for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from 109. The statement by the Government of the Demo- cratic Republic of Afghanistan has evoked positive reac- tion in a number of countries. It deserves to be carefully studied and accepted by all those who are truly interested in normalizing the situation in South-West Asia and who respect the right of peoples to develop along the path that they have chosen themselves without interference from outside. 110. The attitude of the Soviet Union is clear and defin- itive. We fully support the proposals of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan of 24 August. The Soviet Union favours a peaceful political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan, complete and uncon- ditional cessation and guaranteed non-resumption of armed or any other forms of interference in its affairs and the normalization of relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours. We regard Afghanistan as an independent non-aligned State and we believe that Afghanistan should retain such status in the future. Ill. Here in the United Nations some people are delib- erately inflating and distorting the issue of the presence of a limited Soviet military contingent on Afghan territory. Most actively engaged in all this are those who have en· gineered and now continue an armed interference aimed at overthrowing Afghanistan's lawful Government. The So- viet side has given a clear-cut reply to such pronounce- ments and arguments. Speaking in May of this year in Tbilisi, L. l. Brezhnev, the General Secretary of the Cen- tral Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, President of the Praesidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union stated: "An accord on a political settlement would make it possible to determine, by agreement with the Afghan side, a time-table and modalities for the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The non-resumption of intervention against Afghanistan should be reliab!e and guaranteed. The withdrawal of troops could be carried out to the extent progress is made in implementing the agreements achieved." 112. It has to be pointed out that those who, like the United States and China, harp more than anyone else on the subject of the presence of Soviet troops in Afghanistan have in fact taken the lead in raising obsta- cles to a political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan and, consequently, obstacles to the with- drawal of the limited Soviet military contingent from Afghan territury. Hence their concern to preserve a focal point of tension in South-West Asia for the sake of their selfish objectives rather than to settle the current situation and safeguard the interests of the peoples of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 113. There is no other way to reduce the tension in South-West Asia but through negotiations. Unfortunately, Pakistan has so far been avoiding direct tal ks with the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. It may be recalled, however, that contacts took place recently between the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan und Pakistan through the intermediary of the Secretary-General. Both sides regard those contacts as useful. Negotiation in the framework of such contacts is a more difficult endeavour than a direct dialogue. At the same time it would be 114. The opportunity to reach mutual understanding Pit. this subject should not be wasted. In any case one can all but agree with the conclusion made in the report of ttie Secretary-General that "...the approach adopted cpn in, deed facilitate the search for a fair political solution" [A/36/653 , para. 8J. On the other hand, if the United Nations finds itself dragged into a fruitless and hannful . discussion of the so-called Afghan question, this, looked at objectively, would only play into the hands of those who wish to wreck a political settlement and preserve ten- sion in South-West Asia to serve their own imperialist and hegemonist interests. 115. It is quite obvious that the resolution on. the. "Afghan question" adopted by the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session did not bring a political settlement one iota closer, and could not have done so. If some headway-albeit insignificant-has indeed been made in reaching a political settlement, this has happened not be- . cause of that resolution but in spite of it. The draft resolu- tion submitted to the Assembly at the current session has, the same shortcomings that made unacceptable the anti- Afghan resolution adopted at the thirty-fifth session. Thus, for instance, it fails to mention talks as a means of reaching a political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan. The issue of the withdrawal of troops from Afghan territory has been separated from the problem of guaranteed cessation of interference in the affairs of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Besides, the draft resolution contains a number of other totally unacceptable paragraphs which are tantamount to encroachment on the sovereign rights of Afghanistan. Therefore. the draft reso- lution lacks political realism, ignores the objective factors of the situation and totally overlooks the legitimate inter- ests and constructive initiatives of the Democratic Re- public of Afghanistan. Consequently, the Soviet delega- tion strongly opposes this draft resolution. Its adoption contrary to the clearly expressed will of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan would con- stitute impermissible interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. We feel that those who vote in favour of this draft resolution will in fact be supporting-of their own free will or under pressure from other States-the preser- vation of tensions in South-West Asia for an indefinite period of time. 116. The Soviet delegation reaffirms once again its con- viction that the efforts of the United Nations should be aimed not at stirring up passions and backing armed inter- ference, but at facilitating in every possible way a genuine political settlement of the situation around Afghanistan.

The situation in Afghanistan, which was brought about in December 1979 by the Soviet military invasion and aroused indignation and apprehension throughout the world, continues una· bated. That situation, as has been repeatedly argued, vio- lates basic principles of international law, in particular the principles of non-interference and non-use of force which are contained in the Charter of the United Nations. It thus - 118. The clearest expression of world opinion is found in resolution ES-6/2, which was adopted by an over- whelming majority at the sixth emergency special session of the General Assembly in January 1980 and which calls for, inter alia, the immediate, unconditional and total withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan. A dmilar call was made last year in General Assembly reso- h!tion 35/37. In spite of these expressions of concern and appeals from the international community, the Soviet Union remains intransigent, and there are as yet no pros- pects for a settlement. The Government of Japan main- tains that the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, which contravenes international law and justice, should be termi- nated at once and that the Soviet troops should be with- drawn immediately. The problem must be solved in ac- cordance with' the principles of non-interference and respect for the right of self-determination. 119. In this connection I wish to refer to the efforts made by the Secretary-General to facilitate negotiations among the parties concerned. On two occasions he dis- patched Mr. Perez de Cueliar to the countries in the re- gion and in May of this year he himself visited the Soviet Union to explore ways and means for settling the pr"Jb- lem. Japan appreciates and supports such efforts and hopes they will be continued in the future. 120. Japan fully understands the profound anxieties which this situation has created among the non-aligned countries, and particularly the Islamic countries. The efforts which the Organization of the Islamic Conference has been making for its settlement have our full support. Furthermore, we highly appreciate the European Council's proposal, made last June. for an international conference to bring about a solution, as well as the Council's efforts to influence the Soviet Union. 121. The situation in Afghanistan is having an enor- mous effect on Pakistan and other neighbouring countries. 122. Japan strongly supports draft resolution Al36/L.15, which has been proposed by more than 40 Member States. It reflects the will of the international community and confirms basic principles for the settlement of the problem. My delegation hopes that It will be adopted by an overwhelming majority, as were previous resolutions on this question. 123. The Government of Japan reiterates its appeal to the Soviet Union to heed the calls which the international community has been making during the past two years to withdraw its troops immediately. Further, it urges that the right of self-determination be promptly restored to the Afghan people. Japan does not recognize the present re- gime in Afghanistan, although, as an Asian nation, it had long maintained friendly and co-operative relations with the Afghan people. Therefore, we strongly hope that the Afghan people will be able in the near future to establish a government based upon their freely expressed will, and that we may once again enjoy relations of friendship and co-operation. The meeting rose at / ./0 p.m. N(ITF_'i I See Q/ficial Records c!f the Semr;ty Coullcil, Tllirty-ftfth Yc'ar. Sup- plemelll for April. May ancl JUlle 1980. document S/13951. 1 Ibicl.. Supplemelll for July, August ami September 1980. document S114129. ,\ See The Departmellt of Slate Bulletin. vol. 81. No. 2054 (Wash- ington. D.e.. V.S. Government Printing Office. 1981). p. 17.