Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have of abuses of human rights in Afghanistan since the invasion by the Soviet Union, as suggested by the report of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and what progress has been made by the Secretary-General towards a Soviet withdrawal.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)The report makes clear that gross violations of human rights have occurred in Afghanistan since the invasion by the Soviet Union. The Afghan regime is responsible for widespread repression, political imprisonment, and torture, and the Afghan people are denied access to international humanitarian organisations.
We fully support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to achieve a solution to the problem caused by the Soviet invasion based on the principles set out in successive United Nations General Assembly resolutions. Progress has, however, been prevented by the unwillingness of the Soviet Union to agree to a time-table for withdrawing their forces.