TNAG-1464-FCO40-1991-Visits-by-Chinese-officials-to-the-UK--including-visit-by-Hu-1986 — Page 172

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

The

Secretary of

State

them

this said he agreed with

assessment. The Russians invaded Afghanistan in order to sustain a regime sympathetic to themselves, and it would be illogical for

now to withdraw and let

let it collapse.

When he had been in Peshawar he had been told that the

Afghan

had shot down many Soviet aircraft. The message of the refugees had been that unless they could accept any timetable for withdrawal proposed by the Soviet Union no other party to the dispute should do so

either.

resistance fighters

сбони

CO Hum

Hong Kong Department

CONFIDENTIAL