LONDON, Dec. 6, Reuter: Leaders of the 12nation European Community (EC) today renewed demands for a total Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan where they said Moscow was cause massive suffering.
In a statement marking the seventh anniversary of the start of the Soviet armed intervention in Afghanistan, EC heads of government and state said 110,000 Soviet troops were still engaged in a bitter and repressive war.
Their presence violates international peace and security and endangers the stability of the region”, the EC leader said in their statement, issued at the end of a two day summit.
“Five million Afghans have been forced to flee from their country. The Afghan people are still denied their freedom and independence, Large scale violations of human rights in Afghanistan continue to engender massive suffering”, the statement said.
The EC leaders expressed support for United Nations’ efforts to promote a political settlement in Afghanistan and called again on the Soviet Union to opt for a “rapid and complete withdrawal of its forces”.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 12, 1986
