Rzs. 237 Whereas military forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. Whereas there are at present more than 115.000 Soviet troops engaged in the systematic destruction of Afghanistan through a scorched earth policy which includes the destruction of crops. water and food supplies. the agricultural infrastructure. and villages. and includes the widespread killing of innocent civilians. Whereas Soviet tactics in Afghanistan have directly caused the following: a refugee population in Iran and Pakistan of more than three million. the largest refugee population in the world. hundreds of thousands of warrelated casualties. deprivation and suffering for most Afghan citizens. and the possibility of largescale famine. Whereas Soviet troops and their Afghan proxies have employed the use of chemical weapons against innocent Afghans. Whereas the human rights abuses perpetrated by Soviet troops against the Afghan population. including women. children. and the elderly. have been thoroughly documented by the report from Helsinki Watch entitled "Tears. Blood and Cries" and by the report on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan prepared for the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Whereas both the United States and the United Nations have repeatedly called for a peaceful. negotiated settlement of the conflict. including the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan. and Whereas no President of the United States has met directly with the head of the Soviet Union since the invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979: Now. therefore. be it Resolved. That the Senate. in an effort to bring about an end to the massive human rights abuses and murderous policies which the Soviet Union is perpetrating against the population of Afghanistan(1) strongly supports President Reagans intent to discuss directly with Soviet leaders American concerns with the Soviet presence in Afghanistan. and (2) calls upon the President to reiterate the desire of the United States to achieve a negotiated political settlement agreeable to all interested parties in Afghanistan. which settlement should include(A) the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops. (B) the restoration of the independent and nonaligned status of Afghanistan. (C) selfdetermination for the Afghan people. and (D) the return of Afghan refugees with safety and honor. SEc. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the President.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees