JJ ATST~ I
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA MONDAY 31 DECEMBER 17
AFGHAN ISTAN
The Soviet Ambassador today called on the Prime Minister at
Nareen. He did so on instructions from his Government.
The main purpose of the Ambassador's call was to give an official
explanation of the Soviet Union's military intervention in
Afghanistan. The Ambassador said there had been an appeal to his
Government for help, and that help had been granted.
The Prime Minister told the Ambassador that his explanation was
noted, but that it was not acceptable; that there were no valid
grounds for Soviet military involvement in Afghanistan; and that
while the previous Afghanistan Government had been a brutal one,
whatever might hav1. e occurred in Afghanistan during the last two
years did not justify or provide any reason to condone the Soviet
invasion. The Prime Minister drew attention to the fact that the Soviet
military action in Afghanistan was similar to that taken by the
Soviet Union in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. What they have done
in Afghanistan should be condemned by freedom-loving people
around the world.
The Australian Government-and people could not accept that there
should be military interference by one power in the affairs of a
neighbouring state. It was morally wrong and totally contrary to
the accepted norms of international society. In this particular
case. it could only have a destabilising effect on an area which
alradyhad more than its fair share of problems.
The Prime Minister said that Soviet actions in Afghanistan stood
in marked contrast to the restraint shown by the United States in
Iran. He called on the Soviet Union, as a responsible member of
the international community, to condemn the taking of hostages.
The Soviet Union should exert its undoubted influence in
achieving a return to normal relationships.
The Prime Minister said that Australia had only yesterday made
its position on the Iranian situation very plain in the
Security Council Debate. The opportunity would be there for
the Soviet Union to do likewise. 000---
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