Four instruments & memo wrapped up

Geneva accords signed

Pak- Afghan pledge to observe total non-interference
GENEVA, April 14: An Afghanistan agreement was signed here on Thursday committing the Soviet Union to withdrawal of its 115,000 troops and allowing thousands of refugees to return to their homes.
In a ceremony, presided over by United Nations Secretary General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, at the historic Palais des Nations building in Geneva, foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union and the United States signed the document. It commits the Soviet Union to start withdrawing its troops from May 15 stating that there will be a "phased withdrawal of the foreign troops which will start on the date of entry into force mentioned above. "One half of the troops will be withdrawn by 15 August, 1988 and the withdrawal of all troops will be completed within nine months." The agreement also requires the Government of Afghanistan to take "all necessary measures" to ensure the return of all refugees, allowing them to "enjoy the free choice of domicile and freedom of movement within the Republic of Afghanistan". The document was signed by Afghan Foreign Minister Abdul Wakil and Pakistani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zain Noorani. U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz and his Soviet counterpart Eduard Shevardnadze then signed the paper as nit: gudiduiui powers or the agreement. Ii was the i'lrst time the Afghan ami Pafeigj n : iia-nv'-'.ier.sme! at the same venue and sat around the ceremony in the building that once housed the League of

US, Soviet Union guarantee non-intervention

Nations. After his arrival in Geneva, Shultz said the agreement 'formalised the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, a goal the world has sought for many years. He said the accord gave Afghans the right to "determine their one future on the basis of their own political ideas and traditions. Let us help them to realise it," Shultz

Refugees free to return home as equal citizens

said, "desiring to normalise relations and promote goodneighbourliness and cooperation as well as to strengthen international peace and security in the region". Shevardnadze said he hoped the agreement would form the foundation of reconciliation in Afghanistan. Perez de Cuellar emphasised the importance of the accord for the entire region. The future, he said, was in the hands of Afghans promising them support "at this critical moment of their history". The agreement comes after six years of negotiations initiated by United Nations mediator Diego Cordovez of Ecuador. U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar presided over the signing ceremony in the Council Hall of the U.N. in Geneva, expres-

Soviet withdrawal in phases by February 1989

ceasefi e in the agreement, and the Af; han resistance previously rejecte 1 the accord. About 100 suppori ers of the opposition Mujahidei l protested outside the Genev; building while the accord was siigaed. The I Fnited Nations will monitor the agreement, especially the Soviet troop withdrawal and the return of refugees. Two headquartei s are to be established one in Kabul and one in Islamabad. Each headed by five militar i officers. puty Foreign Minister Peter Florin, said "these international accords serve as an example of how to resolve conflicts by political means through a step-by-step approach". The West German Government said in Bonn that it was prepared to provide aid for reconstruction and settlement of refugees in Afghanistan. The peace package includes: (1) A "bilateral agreement between the Republic of Pakistan on the principles of mutual relations, in particular, on nonText of accords on page 8 interference and nonintervention." Pakistan and Afghanistan signed it. (2) "Declaration of international guarantees" signed by the Soviet Union and the United States. (3) "Bilateral agreement between the Republic of Afghanistan and thfe Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the ^voluntary return of refiieeps" sifrnprl hv Palrictan and Afghanistan. (4) "Agreement on the interrelationships for the settlement of the .'Viiatioi; reJ;rinp. to "Afghanistan," signed by Afghanistan and Pakistan, and signed as (Continued on page 7)

After the 17-minute ceremony the foiir Foreign Ministers each held a press conference. There Editorial: 'Geneva accords was al o a brief meeting between and beyond' page 9 Shultz ind Shevardnadze who will sing his thanks for the efforts meet again within a week to prepare tl e next Soviet-U.S. summit made by all the parties involved. The agreement allows the re- confen nce. turn of an estimated five million In B ussels the North Atlantic refugees three million in Treaty Organisation (NATO) Pakistan and two million in Iran. praisec the signing of the agreeAfghanistan and Pakistan are ment, : ;aying it would lead to an also committed to refrain from improvement in East-West supporting "rebellious or seces: relatio: is. sionist activities against the' " t h e Afghanistan agreements other" and to prevent their territories from being used fAr..tri'f* HO doubt constitute an important ^hieyement and we look forward "training, equipping, fins .rtliei r orderlv ifriple/ri^ptation" rm^iwecr^itwaapef me*'.* from whatever origin ioi me ' NATi ) spokesman said. In N ;w York the current Pre'sipurpose of hostile activities against the other". dent o ' the United Nations GenThere is no direct mention of a eral A: sembly, East German De-

Geneva accord
(Continued from page 1)

witnesses by the Soviet Union and the United States. Representatives of Afghanistan and Pakistan will meet whenever required to consider alleged violations of the agreement and the UN Secretary General's representative will investigate any such incidents at the request of the two countries, or on his own initiative, the agreement stated. The two countries agreed not to tolerate "terrorist groups, saboteurs or subversive agents'" against each other. The Soviet and U.S. delegates signed a bilateral agreement expressing support for the political settlement made by Pakistan and Afghanistan and undertook to refrain from any form of interference in the two nations' internal affairs. An annexe to the agreement provided for the appointment by the United Nations of a senior military officer in the area, as head of two separate units, one in Kabul and the other in Islamabad, DPA/APP