WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 1979 (UPI) - President Carter used the White House hot line to the Kremlin Friday to deliver a blunt warning to Soviet President Leonid Breszhnev: Get out of Afghanistan or face "very serious consequences," it was learned Saturday. Carter was said to have received "convincing, if not conclusive" evidence of a large-scale Soviet military drive across the border toward the Afghan capital of Kabul.
The Soviet Union was accused of moving as many as 30,000 combat troops into Afghanistan to beef up its forces that staged Thursday's coup.
The White House and State Deportment estimated the latest influx of troops included airborne and mechanized divisions.
The latest estimate includes 6,500 Soviet troops airlifted into Kabul in advance of the coup, in which Barbak Kamal, a Moscow-styled communist replaced Hafizullah Amin, who Radio Kabul said was quickly tried and executed.
The troop movements indicate "the magnitude of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan continues to grow," White House press secretary Jody Powell said.
The State Department said a Soviet airlift, which began with about 150 flights, is going on - though at a reduced rate. At last 350 flights were said to have taken place since Christmas Day.
Before the Christmas airlift, the State Department had estimated there were about 3,500 Soviet military advisers and 1,500 combat troops in Afghanistan.
Carter let his views be known at a White House luncheon for reporters. The reporters were barred from naming sources.
Carter used the direct Washington-Moscow teletype line Friday to send a sharp message calling for withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.
A reply from Brezhnev was received at the White House early Saturday, but no details were given.
Carter, who has been devoting much of his time to the eight-week-old Iranian crisis, was said to believe that interference in Iran by the Soviets is a possibility.
Carter also was said to be concerned that other countries in the area may face a similar threat. He was said to view the Soviet military move into Afghanistan as a "very serious violation of the peace."
It was learned that Carter asked Brezhnev to pull the Soviet troops out Afghanistan or see detente seriously damaged.
Carter pointed out "that their actions in Afghanistan, if not corrected, could have very serious consequences," it was learned.
But Carter was also said to hope the new Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty will not be affected by tensions over Afghanistan.
Carter was understood to have political and economic options in mind to offset the Soviet Union' move in Afghanistan.
In addition, the United States and Pakistan were said to be engaged at talks on stepping up U.S. military aid to Afghanistan's eastern neighbor.
It was understood that Carter believes the presence of Soviet forces in Afghanistan will have a sobering effect on Iran and other nations in the area.
He was said to feel that Afghanistan's neighbors must now realize they also "face a very serious threat" from the Soviet Union.
Carter also was said to hope that nations around the world will join the United States in condemning the Soviet Union for interfering in the internal affairs of another country.
Carter was dispatching Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher to London today for a special conference with British, West German, French, Italian and Canadian officials to study the possibility of a joint allied response to the Afghan crisis.
