Gorbachev Asks World Leaders to Help in Ending Afghan War
President Mikhail S. Gorbachev has sent messages to President Bush and other world leaders asking for help in ending the war in Afghanistan, a Soviet official announced today.
The Soviets pulled the last of more than 100,000 troops out of Afghanistan on Wednesday. However, U.S.-backed insurgents there have pledged to keep fighting until they overthrow the pro-Moscow government of President Najibullah.
Alexander A. Bessmertnykh, the Soviet first deputy foreign minister, said today that his country appealed Thursday to many nations and world organizations to take part in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan.
He told a government news briefing that the appeals called for economic and humanitarian assistance. Bessmertnykh declined to disclose the contents of the letter Gorbachev sent to Bush.
The leaders of France, Britain, West Germany, China, Pakistan and Iran also received messages from the Soviets, the minister said. Appeals were also sent to U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar and to other world organizations.
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