US asks world to condemn USSR for coup

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28: The Soviet Union should be internationally condemned because of its intervention in. Afghanistan, VS. Defence Secretary Harold Brown has said at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. He told a Press conference the Kremlin was "engaged in helping suppress national and Islamic feelings". Brown said yesterday that Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan was directly responsible for the coup d'etat. He said the United States was protesting the Russian role in that country and predicted that world opinion would join in condemning the Soviet intervention. Brown said the Soviet action was counter to the aims of Islamic forces in Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department said Soviet troops poured into Kabul and some may have engaged in street fighting. Before the coup, only hours earlier, the State Department had accused the Soviet Union of mounting a massive airlift of troops and military equipment to Kabul in recent days to save off the threat of Afghan Islamic forces. U.S. officials estimated there were now some 10,000 Soviet combat troops in the strategic buffer state. The Soviet Union has denied it (Continued on page 9 col 3

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has combat troops in Afghanistan, describing the XJ.S. sharges as "pure invention".
CHINA

In its l'irst report on events in Kabul, the official New China News Agency noted that the coup, which brought Babrak Karmal to power had been "practically synchronized" with the widely reported Christmas airlift o more than 200' flights of Soviet troops and field equipment to Kabul. The agency also reported that the American Ambassador in Moscow met a Soviet Vice-Foreign Minister yesterday to voice U.S. concern over the continuing Soviet military buildup in land near .Afghanistan.

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India reacted today with considerable restraint. A Foreign Office spokesman told newsmen in New Delhi: "India has always opposed any outside interference in the internal affairs of one country by another." Asked by a foreign correspondent whether India approve or opposes the moving of Soviet troops into Afghanistan, the spokesman said his government is still watching the situation. The spokesman said the gist of the issue was whether it is a fact, as the Soviets claim, that they rendered aid and support for the legally constituted authorities in" Kabul at the latter's specific request. The Indian government said it had taken cognisance of the official Soviet statement communicated to it by Soviet ambassador Yuri Vorontsov late yesterday, in which Moscow justified its move under article 51 of the U.N. Charter.
BRITAIN

In London, the British Government today condemned the Soviet Union's "military intervention" in Afghanistan In which a reported 6,000 Soviet combat troops took part in the coup d'etat. A statement issued by the British Foreign Office this afternoon said the Government believed that the people of Afghanistan have the right to choose their own Government without outside interference. The West German Government v.s following developments in At- ^ >hanistan with great concern, c Bonn's chief Government spokes- y man told a new conference there !l " today. He said the Government had r also relayed its concern to the Soviet Ambassador who justified ? moving Soviet troops into Afghan- l} istan under Article 51 of the U.N. charier (on the right to setf-de- * lence). r According to the spokesman the * Soviet Unions had relayed its ^ stand over moving troops into Af- r ghanistan- to other governments. The spokesman said the moving ' ot foreign troops into a country c as a most serious matter and 1J raised basic issues of internation- c al law. Brown spent last night at the base to announce the appoint- % ment of Major General Paul Kel- c ley as Officer Commanding the newly set up U.S. interventim force. ' He said the force should be ^ built up within the next few 'c years and comprise three marine j brigades to begin with. The force is to be used to inter- l vene in crisis areas outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organin- {! tion (NATO) field of operation. J DPA/AFP.
WEST GERMANY