In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. At the request of 52 member states, the Security Council met to consider the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security. Those requesting the meeting stated that the Soviet Union's military intervention in Afghanistan had destabilized the area and caused a threat to international peace and security. In contrast, Afghanistan declared that it had requested Soviet military aid because of foreign threats and objected to the matter being considered by the United Nations.
On January 7, 1980, the Security Council considered a draft resolution deploring the Soviet intervention and calling for the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops. However, the Soviet Union vetoed the draft resolution. Accordingly, on January 9th, the Security Council adopted resolution 462 which called for an emergency special session of the General Assembly to examine the situation in Afghanistan. On January 14th, the General Assembly adopted resolution ES-6/2 which condemned the armed intervention in Afghanistan, called for the withdrawal of foreign troops and urged the parties to facilitate the return of refugees. The Assembly also appealed for humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan.
In an effort to resolve the crisis, Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim launched a series of talks involving Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union, other neighboring countries and Security Council members. Conducted by the Secretary-General's Personal Representative, the talks sought to reach a settlement based on four elements: non-interference, return of refugees, withdrawal of foreign troops and international guarantees. Eight years of intensive negotiations based on those elements culminated in a comprehensive settlement in April 1988. A timetable was established for the withdrawal of the foreign troops.
On April 14, 1988, Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar presided over the signing of the settlement, known as the Geneva Accords. The Accords were signed by the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as by the Soviet Union and the United States as guarantor States. The Accords dealt with non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the voluntary return of refugees and a phased withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan to be completed by February 15, 1989.
The signatories requested that United Nations military personnel be deployed in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Accordingly, the United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan (UNGOMAP) was established to monitor the implementation of the Accords and investigate any alleged violations. The withdrawal of Soviet troops was completed in February 1989. UNGOMAP continued to monitor aspects of the Geneva Accords until March 1990.
Military conflict and civil unrest continued in Afghanistan in 1996. In September 1996, a fundamentalist Islamic movement seized control of Kabul and most of Afghanistan. The Taliban imposed a strict Islamic code of conduct and justice on the populace. For example, it prohibits women from working and requires them to be fully covered from head to toe when they go out in public.
Two decades of war have ravaged Afghanistan. Its infrastructure has been largely destroyed. Thousands are homeless. Landmines litter the countryside. The United Nations continues in its efforts to address these problems. For example, the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan (UNOCHA) was established to coordinate humanitarian assistance to the war-ravaged country.
Source: Basic Facts About the United Nations. Published by United Nations Department of Public Information. Copyright 1995 United Nations.
