Soviet Violation of Helsinki Final Act: Invasion of Afghanistan

Attendees at this hearing, over which Commissioner Dante B. Fascell presided, discussed the December 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union, an invasion that ran counter to international law due to Afghanistan's status as sovereign and independent. The set of agreements that the Soviet Union signed on to in 1975 with 34 other countries (i.e. the Helsinki Final Act) incorporated rights inherent in a country's sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of force, the rights of peoples to self-determination, and acceptance of international conduct principles.

In short, the Soviet Union's invasion and attempted occupation of Afghanistan had struck at the very heart of these principles, and its invasion had severely damaged the international climate and greatly damaged East-West relations.