§ 10. Mr. Gregoryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the prospects for peace in Afghanistan, following the emergence of a new leader of the Communist regime in Kabul.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThis change of leadership in Afghanistan does not of itself improve prospects for peace. The only way to make progress is for the Soviet Union to withdraw all its troops, in accordance with successive United Nations resolutions.
§ Mr. GregoryDoes my right hon. and learned Friend accept that the appointment of the former head of the secret police as the leader of Afghanistan—a man who carried out an atrocious campaign of slavish acceptance of the Moscow line — will not be conducive to an acceptance of the present regime? Does he agree that the mere presence of over 100,000 Soviet troops in Afghanistan, which has led to tens of thousands of deaths and over 3 million refugees, should be of greater interest to the British Labour party than the anti-Western views that it pursues?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI entirely agree with my hon. Friend the appointment of a former head of the Afghan secret police who so ruthlessly prosecuted the polices of the regime does nothing whatsoever to help the prospects of peace. He is even less acceptable to the Afghan people than his presecessor. It would be encouraging if the Opposition would devote half as much attention to the withdrawal of 118,000 Soviet troops from Afghanistan as they do to the question of Nicaragua.
§ Mr. MoynihanDoes my right hon. and learned Friend agree that no practical solution to the United Nations peace talks can be achieved without the involvement of the Mujahideen?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweIt is certainly correct that any conclusion, which must involve the withdrawal of Soviet troops, must be acceptable to the Afghan people.