§ 31. Mr. Lawlerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any evidence of east European participation in the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarEastern European economic and military assistance in Afghanistan is minimal compared with that of the Soviet Union. We estimate that up to the end of 1986 the total value of east European economic assistance was about $150 million, compared with estimated Soviet assistance of $2.5 billion. Military assistance seems to have taken the form of trucks, medical items, and items such as small arms and ammunition, as well as some military advisers and technicians. In addition, Afghan personnel have been trained in eastern Europe. We have no evidence of east European troops engaging in combat.
§ 76. Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent withdrawal of troops by the Soviet Government from Afghanistan.
§ Mr. EggarAs I told my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 3 December 1986, the claimed withdrawal was stage-managed and had minimal military significance. We call on the Soviet Union to withdraw all their troops at the earliest opportunity. This is the key to peace.
§ 78. Mr. McLoughlinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards the removal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.
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§ Mr. EggarThere has been some progress in the talks held under United Nations auspices, but the Soviet Union and the Kabul regime have prevaricated on the central question of a timetable for the rapid and complete withdrawal of the Soviet occupying troops. We look to the Soviet Union to show the necessary political will to make a genuine, lasting and peaceful settlement possible, in accordance with successive United Nations resolutions.
§ 93. Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on progress towards an independent, democratic Afghanistan.
§ Mr. EggarAs I have said in my earlier reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) there has been some progress in the United Nations talks. But the key to lasting peace of Afghanistan remains the prompt and complete withdrawal of Soviet troops and genuine self-determination for the Afghan people. This has yet to be achieved.
95. Mr. Ron Brownasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Afghanistan.
§ Mr. EggarAs I previously told the hon. Member on 18 December 1985, we have no substantive relations with Afghanistan.
Following the Soviet invasion in December 1979, we withdrew the ambassador at Kabul and suspended our aid programme to Afghanistan. We continue to seek the restoration of freedom and independence for the Afghan people.