Soviets, 1 Month Before Pullout Deadline, Reiterate Support for Afghan Regime

The Soviet Union repeated Saturday its assurances of full support for the government of Afghanistan a month ahead of the scheduled completion of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the country.

The assurance was delivered by Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze, who was reported by the official Tass news agency to have met with Afghan President Najibullah in Kabul.

The previously unannounced visit by Shevardnadze came at a time when leaders of the Pakistan-based Afghan resistance are predicting the collapse of the Kabul government after the Soviet troops leave.

Yuli M. Vorontsov, the Kremlin’s trouble-shooter on Afghanistan, said last week there is a “serious danger” that Soviet troops will not be able to meet the Feb. 15 deadline for the completion of their pullout from Afghanistan.

A senior Western diplomat in Moscow said that the Vorontsov statement appeared to be a diplomatic maneuver by the Soviets aimed at encouraging Afghan rebels to agree to a political settlement.

The rebels have rejected Soviet settlement proposals, which have insisted that members of the Najibullah government have a role in any interim regime.

During his talks with Najibullah, Shevardnadze said the Soviets would continue to play an “intermediary role” in arranging talks on an Afghan peace settlement, Tass reported.

Last week, Pakistan-based rebel leaders said they would refuse to hold further meetings with Vorontsov because of the Soviet insistence on including Najibullah in the government.

Speaking Saturday of Shevardnadze’s current visit to Kabul, Tass said: “The Soviet side confirmed its full support for the Afghan leadership’s policies and said the Soviet Union will continue extending the Republic of Afghanistan all-round assistance under treaties and agreements concluded by the two countries.”

The promise of “all-round” aid is widely interpreted as meaning that Soviet military assistance to the Kabul government will be maintained at past levels even after Soviet troops are withdrawn.

Najibullah was quoted as saying that he favors a direct road to peace but that he is “ready for another unfavorable development of events, ready to give a rebuff to power pressure and armed attacks.”

The Soviets endorsed Najibullah’s decision to call for a cease-fire on Jan. 1, although it has been ignored by rebel troops, which now control an estimated 90% of the countryside and have cut off major cities from access to food supplies.

“The delivery of foodstuffs and fuel in humanitarian aid to the Afghan people now has special significance,” Tass said.

Despite the Soviet threat to delay its troop withdrawal, Western diplomats in Pakistan have reported that Soviet preparations for a full pullout are proceeding normally.

According to the diplomats, the Soviets are moving troops and materiel out of Kabul by plane during hours of darkness.