Committee for State Security (KGB)

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Committee for State Security (KGB) of Harvard National Model United Nations.  My name is Alexandre Durand and I am absolutely delighted to incarnate Yuri Andropov and serve as your Director for this truly unique and thrilling crisis committee.

I am a sophomore at Harvard College and plan to concentrate to in Social Studies from Larchmont, New York. My father is French and my mother is Venezuelan, and I have attended French-American school with a bilingual curriculum since I was in Kindergarten. In part because of this multicultural background and in part because of my own curiosity, I have always been very interested in foreign affairs and in world history. I have expressed this passion at Harvard by working with the International Relations Council (IRC) as a Director for this committee, and a Director of Substantive Support for its high school conference, Harvard Model United Nations. I also serve as the IRC’s secretary and as an associate editor for its publication the Harvard International Review.

We will enter the conference as the senior officers of the KGB in a time of great international and domestic activity, as the United Socialist Soviet Republics usher in the a new decade by hosting the 22^nd edition of the Olympic Games. But this event is just the backdrop for a period time rife with intrigue. Just a few days ago, the USSR has officially launched an invasion on Afghanistan, and General Secretary Brezhnev is counting on his intelligence agencies to make sure the operation goes off without a hitch. Furthermore, the Party has made it absolutely clear that intends to support anti-imperialist causes worldwide, and will require the field knowledge and technical expertise that only the KGB possesses. In this regard, we will carefully monitor the outcome of the impending presidential election in the United States of America, as it will greatly affect our position on the global stage. Finally, there is no shortage of intrigue on the domestic front, as the party seeks to implement the new constitution of 1973 and tackles issues such as militarization and ideological unity. All of the topics will provide a great amount of excitement and unforeseen turns, and the only thing you can expect is to be on your toes at all times. As we explore this critical juncture in Soviet-American relations, we will all rediscover the climate and revisit international relations at their most raw and exhilarating.

If any questions or concerns arise during your preparations for this committee, absolutely feel free to contact me. I am very much looking forward to what I know will be a terrific conference, and in sharing four incredible and action-packed days with all of you.

Sincerely,

Alexandre Durand
Director, Committee for State Security (KGB)
Harvard National Model United Nations 2011

Topic Area A: Situation in Afghanistan

The recent invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union has raised a number of questions on the international stage regarding Brezhnev’s intentions in Central Asia. Expansionist fears have already prompted a strong reaction from the American bloc, and the Politburo wants all operations to be carried out as quietly and discretely as possible. The mujahedeen resistance is expected to receive structural and maybe even military support from the United States and its allies, as well as other Islamic nations such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt if the conflict drags on for too long. For this reason, it is imperative that the assault be brief and effective, allowing the Soviet Union to mop up any opposition before any meaningful assistance can be delivered. The Soviet army should make short work of any organized form of rebellion, but it is imperative that it seize control of major urban and industrial centers. This will go a long way in pacifying possibly volatile local populations.

Topic Area B: Situation in Angola

In accordance with the Politburo’s goal to shepherd anti-imperialist causes worldwide, the Soviet Union has been involved informally in a number of different regions, championing the causes of socialist movements. It has been involved in West Africa since the mid-1970s as the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) is engaged in a struggle against the American-backed National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) for control of the country. Central command will be relying on the KGB to operate with extreme discretion; while it is very important for the region not to fall under the influence of the American sphere, any involvement on the part of the Soviet Union must remain strictly peripheral.

Topic Area C: United States Elections

The cohesion of the American high command was put to the test just a few years ago as Richard Nixon left the presidential office in disgrace after the Watergate affair. Since then, American authority on the world stage has been ever slightly more tenuous, and another such bombshell could really send the country into disarray. Current incumbent Jimmy Carter faces opposition not only from California governor Ronald Reagan, but also within his own party from Massachusetts congressman Edward Kennedy. This election may largely dictate the future of US/USSR relations, and the KGB is charged with carefully monitoring the proceedings and noting any developments.