Four-part Afghanistan agreement signed in Geneva.

Four-part -- Afghanistan Agreement signed in Geneva 

A UN SUCCESS

It took 17 minutes on the afternoon of Thursday, 14 April. Four men in dark business suits took their places at an octagonal table in the huge green-and-gold Salle du Grand Conseil of the Palais des Nations--United Nations headquarters in Geneva. One after another, they lifted their pens and signed tooled leather-covered copies of the United Nations-mediated agreement aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan. It was the same time the end of one of the most complex, delicate and lengthy negotiation processes in diplomatic history, and--as United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar said--the first step in efforts to "bring about an end to the suffering of the Afghan people."

Four instruments call for: Troop withdrawal, beginning 15 May through 15 February 1989 Voluntary return of refugees Non-interference and non-intervention by both Afghanistan and Pakistan International guarantees by USSR and United States 

The men signing the texts were Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Abdul Wakil, Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zain Noorani, USSR Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze, and United States Secretary of State George Shultz. The four instruments dealt with: non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and Pakistan; voluntary return of refugees; a phased withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, to be completed by l5 February l989; and international guarantees by the USSR and United States.

Mr. Perez de Cuellar, the blue-and-white flag of the United Nations behind him, presided over the formal scene in Geneva--symbolizing the crucial role played by the world Organization to find a political settlement for the eight-year-old civil war. At his side was Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs Diego Cordovez, his Personal Representative, who conducted the six years of negotiations, much of which in the form of "proximity talks" conducted separately with Afghanistan and Pakistan at Geneva. Consultations were also held in Kabul and Islamabad. Iran which was also hosting thousands of refugees, was kept informed. Mr. Cordovez also visited Moscow and Washington regularly.

Secretary-General presides at ceremony for signing of accords

A critical moment of history

The Agreements, the Secretary-General said, were "a most significant achievement" ...a "major stride in the effort to bring peace to Afghanistan and assure reprieve for its people." It showed the Organization's capacity to attain positive results on the most complex of issues when backed by the political will of its Member States.

"The challenge facing the people of Afghanistan is great, but it can and must be met by them alone," Mr. Perez de Cuellar stated. "The Agreements lay the basis for the exercise by all Afghans of their right to self-determination, a principle enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations."

He said he was confident the signatories would "abide fully by the letter and spirit" of the texts and implement them in good faith. He assured the people of Afghanistan that the United Nations and the international community stood ready to assist them "in this critical moment of their history", in meeting the serious humanitarian and economic needs of their country.

Before the signing ceremony, on 8 April, the Secretary-General had said he trusted that all concerned, aware as they were of the objectives of the political negotiations, would take no action inconsistent with the letter or spirit of the Agreement. If peace was to be achieved in Afghanistan, it would not be attained if actions were to be taken which would tend to fuel hostilities.

General Assembly President Peter Florin of the German Democratic Republic issued a statement calling the Agreement "an example of how to resolve conflicts by political means through a step-by-step approach". It was, he said, "renewed evidence of the need for, and the potential of, utilizing the merchanisms which the United Nations offers with a view to the peaceful settlement of conflicts."

`With great care, caution, persistence'

Mediator Cordovez, in a statement issued before the Agreement signing, said that all concerned had been trying to work out "not just any agreement but in fact the best possible agreement." The text had been drafted with "great care, with great caution and with great persistence" to effectively assist the Afghan people to end their suffering.

It`was not a perfect settlement, he said, but one that reflected the "reality of the situation." He was quite hopeful that, as difficulties in the negotiations had been overcome, so would problems of implementation be overcome. Afghans would realize that solid foundations had been established for the achievement of normal living conditions in their homeland.

Four instruments

The four instruments, taking effect on l5 May, are:

. A five-article bilateral agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan on principles of mutual relations, in particular on non-interference and non-intervention. Under its terms, the two States agree that their relations shall be conducted in strict compliance with the principles of non-interference and non-intervention.

. A seven-paragraph declaration on international guaranteees, signed by the USSR and the United States expressing support for the settlement, and stating they "undertake to invariably refrain from any form of interference and intervention" in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to respect the commitments undertaken by those two nations.

. An eight-article bilateral agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan setting out conditions for the voluntary return of refugees. Mixed commissions would be set up to organize, co-ordinate and supervise operations to effect the repatriation of Afghan refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees would assist in the process.

. An eight-point agreement on the "interrelationships for the settlement of the situation relating to Afghanistan", signed by the two parties, as well as by the two guarantor States, providing for a phased withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. Half of the troops would be withdrawn within three months beginning l5 May; the remainder within nine months.

The last Agreement also provides for exercise of good offices by a Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to assist the parties in ensuring the full implementation of the Agreements. A "memorandum of understanding" annexed to the Agreement details the modalities of the "implementation-assistance arrangements", its modus operandi and personnel organization, procedures for investigating complaints, duration and financing.

The instruments were signed in languages of the countries concerned with each text: English, Pashtu, Russian and Urdu.

The texts of these documents follow.

PHOTO : Mediator Cordovez--his "shuttle diplomacy" paid off.

PHOTO : The road to Kabul near the Pakistan border

PHOTO : Afghan refugees at Peshawar camp.