Iran urges more U.N. efforts to end Afghan war
07:39 a.m. Dec 21, 1999 Eastern

TEHRAN, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called on Tuesday for more efforts by the United Nations to end the civil war in neighbouring Afghanistan, Iran's news agency IRNA reported.

Speaking to ousted Afghan President Burhannudin Rabbani, Khatami also called for power-sharing between the Afghan opposition, headed by Rabbani, and the Taleban government which controls 90 percent of the war-torn country.

``The international community is today, more than ever, concerned about instability, terrorism and the rise of drug production in Afghanistan,'' IRNA quoted Khatami as saying. Afghanistan is the world's largest opium producer.

Khatami ``said more efforts by the United Nations would be effective towards resolving the Afghanistan crisis,'' IRNA added.

Rabbani urged Iran to ``intensify its efforts to establish peace and security in Afghanistan,'' IRNA said.

Along with the United Nations and most other countries, Iran still recognises Rabbani's government, ousted from Kabul by the Taleban in 1996. But Tehran denies charges by the Taleban of giving military backing to the opposition.

Iran does not recognise the Taleban government, recognised only by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In an apparent sign of a thaw, Iran and the Taleban last month reopened the border between the two countries for trade after keeping it closed for more than a year because of bilateral tensions.

But the Afghan opposition later said it received assurances of continued diplomatic support from Tehran despite the end of a trade embargo against the Taleban.

The opposition accuses Pakistan of militarily backing the Taleban, a charge denied by Islamabad.