un expresses concern over depletion of forests in afghanistan

islamabad, dec. 16, irna -the united naitons on thursday expressed deep concern over the growing depletion of forests in kunar province of eastern afghanistan. in a statement, the office of un coordinator for afghanistan said that over 100 trucks of timber were moving from kunar to jalalabad and then torkham on pak-afghan border every day. the statement said that the forest and woodland cover in afghanisan was 3.4 percent in the 1980's which has now shrunk to 2.6 percent. it said the levy of profitable taxes on timber transportation had made kunar province as disputed area. the un also reiterated its appeal to the timber industry outside afghanistan to boycott timber from afghanistan's shrinking forests. md/hr