October 4, 1998

 FOCUS-Taleban head says world unjust to Afghans
02:07 p.m Oct 04, 1998 Eastern
By Sayed Salahuddin

KABUL, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The leader of Afghanistan's Taleban movement said on Sunday the world was treating Afghans unjustly by failing to condemn Iranian ``interference'' in the country's affairs.
Taliban slams UN reluctance to recognise Afghan government, warns Iran
Sun 04 Oct 98 - 18:05 GMT

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4 (AFP) - Taliban supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar lashed the United Nations Sunday for not recognising the Afghanistan government, and warned Iran against any interference.

U.N. Envoy In Tehran To Defuse Iran-Taleban Crisis
08:53 a.m. Oct 04, 1998 Eastern

By Barry May

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A United Nations special envoy arrived in Iran Sunday for three days of talks to try to defuse a crisis between Tehran and the Afghan Taliban over the killing of Iranian diplomats and a journalist.
Iran arrests four Taliban spies
Sun 04 Oct 98 - 07:52 GMT

TEHRAN, Oct 4 (AFP) - Iranian authorities have arrested four Afghan nationals, accusing them of spying for the Taliban Islamic militia in Afghanistan, a newspaper reported Sunday.
Taliban complain to OIC about alleged air intrusions by Iran
Sun 04 Oct 98 - 10:53 GMT

KABUL, Oct 4 (AFP) - Taliban officials have complained to the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) about alleged violations of Afghan air space by Iranian planes, officials said Sunday.

Mission to reduce Taleban border tension

BBC
The United Nations special envoy for Afghanistan, Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, begins his mission on Sunday to reduce tension between Iran and Afghanistan's Taleban movement.

 Islamabad urges Iran, Afghanistan to show restraint

By our correspondent

The News: Jang

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday urged Iran and Afghanistan to exercise restraint and display sense of responsibility, hoping that Islamabad's concerted efforts will help stabilise the situation.

Taleban warn of devastating war, urge UN to mediate

The News: Jang

KABUL: The Taleban urged the United Nations on Saturday to prevent 'devastating war' with Iran, and a spokesman for the students militia said it wanted to talk peace. "There is no problem solving the issue through

Brahimi urges Taleban to help ease tension with Iran

The News: Jang

ABU DHABI: UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi called on the Taleban on Saturday to help ease tension with Iran.

UN envoy mission to be incomplete minus Afghanistan's visit: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Saturday said the UN special envoy on Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi's trip to the region will remain incomplete unless he visits Afghanistan.

Annan terms Afghan situation as grave

NEW YORK: The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has termed the situation in Afghanistan as very grave and warned that Afghan crisis is converting into a regional conflict.

Pakistan for investigation into killing of diplomats

Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Oct 3: Pakistan on Saturday specifically asked Taliban to facilitate expeditious investigations in the killing of the Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif to avert deterioration of situation in the region.

UNDCP links Taliban with drug trafficking

Dawn
TEHRAN, Oct 3: The vice-president of the European Parliament, Renzo Imbeni, on Saturday linked the Taliban Islamic militia in Afghanistan with drug trafficking in the region.
UN General Assembly: Afghan crisis dominates debate

By Masood Haider

Dawn
NEW YORK, OCT 3: The United Nations General Assembly on Friday concluded its two-week general debate, during which 179 member states addressed the Assembly, including 26 heads of states. For the first time this year,

If nerves remain frayed

Dawn (Editorial)
THE storm-clouds over the bleak border between Iran and Afghanistan have not dissipated. Indeed, if anything, in recent days they have become darker with Iranian troops and Revolutionary Guards continuing to hold exercises

Taliban approach UAE to restore ties with Saudi Arabia
Brahimi wants militia to ease tension with Iran

Frontier Post

By AIMAL KHAN
PESHAWAR - Mulla Abdul Wakil Ahmad Mutawakkil, the Kandahar-based official spokesman of the Taliban Movement's founder Mulla Mohammad Omar, is in Dubai to persuade the UAE authorities not to follow in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia.

As the Taliban Finish Off Foes, Iran Is Looming

By BARRY BEARAK
The New York Times
October 3, 1998

MIRBACAKOT, Afghanistan -- With gunfire snapping in the wind and artillery blasts punctuating his sentences, the commander of the Taliban's front-line forces was in a boastful, triumphant mood on Friday.

The dark side of the Afghan situation
The Nations: (Opinion)

Tayyeba Kayani
Since analysis is all about assessing the plausible implications of a situation, it would not be awry to consider a conspiracy theory regarding the current events in Afghanistan. Experience indicates that