UN General Assembly
1982

embark with determination on the road of peace and reconciliation. 11. The dramatic developments in the Middle East cannot cloud our concern over the plight of Afghanistan. The valiant Afghan people continue to be deprived of their right to self-determination and remain under foreign military occupation. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the Secretary-General towards a negotiated settlement. Such a settlement should restore to the Afghan people their right to self- determination and lead to the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country. 12. We realize that refugees are a tremendous burden for countries of asylum. As a humanitarian measure, we have recently settled nearly 5,000 refugees in Turkey. We have provided them a temporary home until they can return freely to their own country, if they so wish. 13. In Africa we follow developments regarding Namibia with a mixture of anxiety and guarded optimism. As a founding member of the United Nations Council for Namibia, Turkey extends its unreserved support to the people of Namibia. We hope that on¬going negotiations for the independence of Namibia within the framework