Delay on UN Afghan vote may aid Soviet strategy

The postponement till Monday of a vote of rebuke the Soviet Union for its intervention in Afghanistan may be a tactical victory for the Soviets, some observers note.

The postponement was the result of the General Assembly's having fallen behind schedule in debate in its emergency session. But if the vote on Afghanistan comes Monday, the Soviets may have vetoed a US resolution in the Security Council calling for sanctions against Iran. This veto would be a popular move with third-world nations, especially Muslim countries, whose wrath against the Soviets is needed to fuel a vote condemning Soviet action in Afghanistan.