DATE=2/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245077
TITLE=AFGHAN U-S TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO: A SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL HAS MET WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF  
AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN MOVEMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE U-S 
MISSILE  STRIKES ON AFGHANISTAN LAST AUGUST. AS SARAH HORNER 
REPORTS FROM  ISLAMABAD, ON THE AGENDA WAS SAUDI DISSIDENT OSAMA 
BIN LADEN WHO LIVES  IN AFGHANISTAN.  

TEXT: U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOUTH ASIA, KARL 
INDERFURTH,  MET TALEBAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, JALIL AKHUND, 
LATE WEDNESDAY IN THE  PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD. BOTH PARTIES
ARE BEING TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT  THEIR TALKS BUT A U-S EMBASSY 
SPOKESMAN CONFIRMS OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS  DISCUSSED.  

MR BIN LADEN HAS A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH AFGHANISTAN AND MOVED 
THERE  TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO. HE HAS MADE REPEATED THREATS 
AGAINST U-S  INTERESTS. THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS OFFERED A 
FIVE-MILLION-DOLLAR REWARD  FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS 
ARREST. IT SUSPECTS  MR BIN LADEN OF  INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOMBINGS
OF U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA LAST AUGUST WHICH  KILLED 224-PEOPLE. 
 

TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ATTACKS, THE U-S CARRIED OUT RETALIATORY 
MISSILE  STRIKES ON TERRORIST CAMPS ALLEGEDLY RUN BY MR BIN LADEN
IN AFGHANISTAN.  

THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT -- WHICH EXPELLED OSAMA BIN LADEN SEVERAL 
YEARS AGO  -- IS ALSO UNHAPPY ABOUT  HIS CONTINUED PRESENCE IN 
AFGHANISTAN. A FEW  MONTHS AGO,  SAUDI ARABIA -- ONE OF THE THREE
COUNTRIES RECOGNISING THE  TALEBAN AS THE GOVERNMENT OF 
AFGHANISTAN -- WITHDREW ITS AMBASSADOR FROM  THE AFGHAN CAPITAL 
AND EXPELLED THE TALEBAN ENVOY FROM RIYADH.  

THE TALEBAN HAS SO FAR REFUSED ALL PRESSURE TO EXPEL MR BIN LADEN
WHO  THEY SAY IS NOT INVOLVED IN TERRORISM AND IS THEIR GUEST.  

A U-S EMBASSY SPOKESMAN SAYS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE 
INDERFURTH AND  THE TALEBAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ALSO 
DISCUSSED A PLANNED REGIONAL  MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN.   

THE MEETING OF THE SO-CALLED SIX-PLUS-TWO GROUP IS SCHEDULED TO 
TAKE  PLACE IN MARCH OR APRIL IN THE UZBEK CAPITAL, TASHKENT. THE
GROUP IS A  UNITED NATIONS SPONSORED FORUM COMPRISED OF 
AFGHANISTAN'S NEIGHBORS  ALONG WITH RUSSIA AND THE U-S. IT IS 
PART OF A U-N POLITICAL INITIATIVE  AIMING TO END TWO DECADES OF 
FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN.  

IN WASHINGTON, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAID THE 
U-S WANTS  TO SEE INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED NORMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
RESPECTED BY THE  TALEBAN. MR RUBIN SAID MR INDERFURTH HAD RAISED
THE ISSUE IN HIS MEETING  WITH THE TALEBAN, PARTICULARLY ABOUT 
WOMEN AND GIRLS.  

THE TALEBAN'S STRICT ISLAMIC POLICIES LARGELY PREVENT FEMALES 
FROM  WORKING OR GETTING AN EDUCATION.  

MR INDERFURTH LEFT PAKISTAN THURSDAY TO RETURN TO THE INDIAN 
CAPITAL,  NEW DELHI, FOR FURTHER TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT THERE.
THE MAIN PURPOSE  OF THE U-S VISIT HAS BEEN PREVENTING NUCLEAR 
PROLIFERATION IN SOUTH  ASIA. BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN CARRIED OUT
NUCLEAR TESTS LAST YEAR.  (SIGNED)

NEB/SH/PLM

04-Feb-99 8:41 AM EST (1341 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.