Suchergebnisse

The negotiations in Afghanistan following the introduction of Soviet troops during a military coup in 1978 were pursued along two tracks. The first consisted of sporadic negotiations between the Soviet-supported Afghan government and several mujahidin resistance groups. To date, these talks have not reached fruition. The second track consisted of negotiations officially conducted between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but in reality between the United States and the Soviet Union over the withdrawal of Soviet troops. The negotiations were conducted in Geneva and in the region over a seven-year period under U.N. mediation. The result was the Geneva Accord of 14 April 1988; the agreement provided for the withdrawal of Soviet troops and the termination of arms supplies by the United States and the Soviet Union, which was dependent upon both sides' observation. The success in the international negotiations can be attributed to the existence of a ripe moment and the skill of the U.N. mediation, neither of which elements are present in the internal negotiations.

THE NEGOTIATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF SOVIET TROOPS DURING A MILITARY COUP IN 1978 WERE PURSUED ALONG TWO TRACKS. THE FIRST CONSISTED OF SPORADIC NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE SOVIET-SUPPORTED AFGHAN GOVERNMENT AND SEVERAL MUJAHIDIN RESISTANCE GROUPS. TO DATE, THESE TALKS HAVE NOT REACHED FRUITION. THE SECOND TRACK CONSISTED OF NEGOTIATIONS OFFICIALLY CONDUCTED BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN (IN REALITY, BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION) OVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS. THESE NEGOTIATIONS WERE CONDUCTED OVER A SEVEN-YEAR PERIOD UNDER U.N. MEDIATION. THE RESULT WAS THE GENEVA ACCORD OF APRIL 1988, WHICH PROVIDED FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF SOVIET TROOPS AND THE TERMINATION OF ARMS SUPPLIES BY THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION, DEPENDENT UPON BOTH SIDES' COMPLIANCE. THE SUCCESS IN THE INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE EXISTENCE OF A RIPE MOMENT AND THE SKILL OF THE U.N. MEDIATION, TWO ELEMENTS MISSING IN THE INTERNAL NEGOTIATIONS.

The author sketches out the problems and prospects of regional co-operation among India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives in the light of the initiative taken by the late President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh in 1980 to institutionalize such co-operation. Five meetings at the foreign secretaries level and one meeting of the foreign ministers between April 1981 and August 1983 to promote economic co-operation among these countries. (DÜI-Sen)