Report on the secret talks of the representatives of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan and the German Social-Democratic Party in Hungary

HSWP Bulletin

1) The visit of the delegation of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan to Hungary /The record of the Foreign Department/

In August last year, the Central Committee of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan requested the support of the HSWP CC to be able to have a confidential conversation in our country about the restoration of relations with the German Social-Democratic Party. Between 27 and 31 May 1983, headed by Mahmood Baryalai, the assistant of the PDPA CC PB, the secretary of the Central Committee, the delegation of the Afghan party stayed in Hungary. The members of the delegation were Enajet Allah Sadat, the charge d'affaires of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in Bonn, Nayetullah madani, the head of the press department of the Afghan ministry of foreign affairs. Between 27-29 May, H. E. Dingels, the head and member of the SPD Foreign Department, visited Hungary.

Comrade Péter Várkonyi received the head of the Afghan party delegation, who reported on the meetings with the representatives of the SPD. He stated that the meetings taking place in a good atmosphere were successful and ended with more favorable results than expected.

During the meetings it became obvious that the leadership of the SPD had little information about the Afghan situation and was strongly influenced by hostile propaganda. As a result of the information received about the situation in the country, especially the results achieved in the past two years, their point of view has changed favorably. They stressed that Afghanistan should choose the road to follow alone, they did not want to interfere. It was surprising that the representatives of the SPD did not mention either the role of the Soviet Union or the presence of Soviet troops. Moreover, Dingels remarked as his personal opinion that there had not been any other alternative than to ask for the help of the Soviet Union. He declared they were not against Afghanistan, they dissociated themselves from those who were attacking Afghanistan. They do not support the counter-revolutionaries, the various groupings of Afghans living in the FRG, among them, they do not recognize the group calling themselves the Social-Democratic Party of Afghanistan, they do not have any contacts with them.

The representatives of the SPD emphasized that, despite the ideological differences, they were ready to develop relations. After the due preparations, they might also lay down the relationship between the two parties in a formal agreement as well, which would be signed by Wischnewski from the SPD's side and it would be also published. They offered their support in establishing relations with the Swedish social-democratic and the French socialist party. They suggested that the PDPA should seek relations with the American politicians of the Reagan opposition. In order to inform the public opinion of the FRG in a more authentic way, the SPD would send journalists to Afghanistan and encourage the government of the FRG to normalize inter-state relations.

The FRG is visibly disturbed by the quick pace of development of Afghan-GDR relations. The West-Germans have a German language secondary school in Kabul, many study at the universities of the FRG, there are close relations between the Afghan universities and the Goethe Institute. They are afraid that the GDR may easily oust them from these fields. The Afghan leadership informed the FRG that it was not enough to encourage cultural relations. Before the revolution, the FRG was interested in numerous investments, which were cancelled after the revolution. These should be finished with the participation of the FRG.

Comrade Baryalai said that they intended to extend relations with the different political parties. They manage to form close relations with the Japanese Socialist Party and the Australian Socialist Party. With the participation of parliamentary representatives, friendly societies are formed in England, the FRG, India and other countries. Talks are continued with Pakistan about the normalization of relations, they seem to be ending with a favorable outcome, but they do not want to announce it publicly yet.

Comrade Baryalai expressed his party's gratitude for the help provided in the organization of the meeting. He said that the SPD had originally suggested one of the Western-European capitals, but was happy to accept the Afghan suggestion about Budapest. He stressed that the relations between our parties and countries were developing favorably.

Comrade Várkonyi stressed that we were happy about their achievements. We would continue to support by political and diplomatic means in the future too those Afghan initiatives that served the purpose of putting an end to the international isolation of Afghanistan and the extension of its relations.