Saturday, February 21, 2004
Soviet intervention in Afghan led to strength of terrorism: Putin
Press Trust of India Moscow, February 19
In a candid remark, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979 led to the strengthening of international terrorism.
"There is a need to accept that war in Afghanistan contributed to the straightening of international terrorism," Putin was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS in his address to Afghan war veterans on the 15th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal.
Putin noted that secret documents and people involved clearly show that the Soviet military leadership was against the Afghan war due to difficulties in campaign in the peculiar conditions of that country.
Putin underscored the need for ending political speculations and get down to 'serious, minute and unbiased' analysis of the Afghan episodes.
He, however, added that thousands of Afghan war veterans have nothing to be ashamed of because they did their martial duty and have right to expect adequate response of the society and the state.
Noting that the Soviet Union had taken the decision to intervene in Afghanistan in accordance with the logic of realities of the Cold War. Drawing the lessons of Soviet war in Afghanistan Putin said that it proved that nobody has right to interfere in the life of another country and neither communism nor democracy or market economy can be imposed by force. "They cannot be brought on tank armour and cannot be justified by any ideological considerations," Putin said, adding that it is also a lesson not only for the super powers but also for the whole world community.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2004.