United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-6/2

United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-6/2 was adopted on 14 January 1980 during the Sixth Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution, titled "The Situation in Afghanistan," strongly deplored the recent armed intervention in the country and called for the immediate, unconditional, and total withdrawal of foreign troops. It represented a significant diplomatic censure of the Soviet Union's military actions during the Soviet–Afghan War and affirmed the right of the Afghan people to self-determination.

Background and context

The resolution was a direct response to the Soviet–Afghan War, which began with the large-scale deployment of the Soviet Armed Forces into Afghanistan in late December 1979. This intervention followed internal turmoil within the ruling People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan and aimed to bolster the pro-Soviet government of Babrak Karmal against mujahideen insurgents. The move was widely condemned by Western Bloc nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, as a violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty and a dangerous escalation in the broader Cold War. The United Nations Security Council had previously considered the matter, but a draft resolution was vetoed by the Soviet Union, leading to the convening of the emergency session under the "Uniting for Peace" procedure.

Provisions of the resolution

The operative paragraphs of the resolution contained several key demands and affirmations. It called for the "immediate, unconditional and total withdrawal of the foreign troops" from Afghanistan. It reaffirmed the right of the Afghan people to determine their own form of government and choose their economic, political, and social systems free from external intervention. The resolution further appealed to all states to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and non-aligned status of Afghanistan. It also urged the Secretary-General to keep the situation under review and report back to the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council.

Voting and adoption

The resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 104 in favor to 18 against, with 18 abstentions. Support came from a broad coalition including most Western Bloc countries, Non-Aligned Movement members such as India, Pakistan, and Egypt, and many Organization of Islamic Cooperation states. The opposing votes were cast primarily by the Soviet Union and its close allies within the Warsaw Pact, including the German Democratic Republic, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria, as well as other Soviet-aligned states like Vietnam and Cuba. Notable abstentions included Finland, Sweden, and several African nations.

Interpretation and legal status

As a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, ES-6/2 is not legally binding under the Charter of the United Nations, unlike resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. However, it carried significant political and moral weight as a powerful expression of the international community's opinion. The resolution was interpreted as a clear condemnation of the Brezhnev Doctrine and an assertion of the principles of non-intervention and self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter. Its adoption demonstrated the ability of the General Assembly to act on matters of international peace and security when the Security Council was deadlocked by a veto.

Aftermath and impact

The resolution set the diplomatic tone for the international response to the Soviet–Afghan War throughout the 1980s. It provided a consistent legal and political basis for annual General Assembly resolutions reiterating the call for Soviet withdrawal. The condemnation isolated the Soviet Union diplomatically, contributed to its boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and bolstered international support for the mujahideen resistance, including covert aid from the United States and Saudi Arabia. The war became a major contributing factor to the economic strain and political reassessments within the Soviet Union during the era of Mikhail Gorbachev, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1989 as outlined in the Geneva Accords (1988).

Category:United Nations General Assembly resolutions concerning Afghanistan Category:1980 United Nations General Assembly resolutions Category:Sixth Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly Category:Soviet–Afghan War