Pakistan urges U.S.-Afghan talks on bin Laden

DUBAI, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Only direct negotiations between the United States and the Taleban government in Afghanistan could solve the issue of Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, Pakistan's foreign minister was quoted as saying on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar made his comments in an interview with the London-based Saudi-owned al-Hayat daily.

Asked if Pakistan could mediate between Washington and the Taleban over bin Laden, Sattar said:

``We think this issue must be solved in a direct way between the countries demanding the handover of bin Laden and the Afghan government through negotiations and we have no role to play except support these efforts...We do not want to interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs.''

Sattar said Pakistan's new military government would not allow the use of its territory by any foreign country to launch attacks on neighboring Afghanistan.

The United States warned on Tuesday that it would hold the Taleban responsible for any attacks on Americans by followers of bin Laden -- charged with masterminding the bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa last year which killed more than 200 people.

Washington has failed to persuade the Taleban to hand over bin Laden, who lives in a secret hideout under Taleban protection, to stand trial over the bombings.

The Taleban, which controls 90 percent of Afghanistan, says bin Laden was not allowed to carry out political or military acts against any country.

SANCTIONS AGAINST AFGHANISTAN

Washington said on Tuesday its law enforcement authorities abroad arrested bin Laden followers in connection with a threat to attack Americans around the end of the year. It said it has contacted Pakistan about a person held there on suspicion of having ties to bin Laden.

Jordan said on Wednesday it arrested a group of Jordanian nationals, an Iraqi and an Algerian who had returned from Afghanistan and were planning attacks in the kingdom.

The United States has championed a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposed sanctions on Afghanistan until bin Laden is turned over to authorities who will ensure he stands trial.

Sattar told al-Hayat Pakistan had concerns about the effects of the sanctions on it.

``There is concern about the effects of sanctions especially that we have two million Afghani refugees and we fear an exodus from Afghanistan to Pakistan because of the harshness of life in Afghanistan,'' Sattar said.

``We feel the international community is not carrying out its humanitarian duty towards the Afghani people, which puts all the burden on us,'' he added.

Sattar said Pakistan and Iran -- two of Afghanistan's neighbors -- agreed recently to ``work to establish peace and unity in Afghanistan and set up a government that represents all groups in Afghanistan.''

``Contacts with Afghani sides continue'' to try to end the conflict, he added.