DATE=1/8/99

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-243936

TITLE=AFGHAN IRAN U-N (L)

BYLINE=SARAH HORNER

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A U-N DELEGATION HAS RETURNED FROM IRAN AFTER DISCUSSING UNITED NATIONS' WORK IN AFGHANISTAN. SARAH HORNER REPORTS THAT THE MAIN TOPIC WAS THE FUTURE OF THE TWO-MILLION AFGHAN REFUGEES WHO ARE LIVING IN IRAN.

 

TEXT: THE THREE-MEMBER U-N TEAM CAME BACK (FRIDAY) TO THE UNITED NATIONS AFGHAN HEADQUARTERS IN THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD, AFTER SPENDING FOUR DAYS IN TEHRAN.

THE HEAD OF THE DELEGATION, ERICK DE MUL -- THE U-N'S COORDINATOR FOR AFGHANISTAN - -TELLS V-O-A WHAT THE IRANIAN AUTHORITIES TOLD HIS DELEGATION ABOUT IRAN'S AFGHAN REFUGEES.

// DE MUL / HORNER ACT //

THEY (IRAN) WOULD LIKE TO SEE REPATRIATION TAKING PLACE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT IS BECOMING CLEAR IS THAT THE ECONOMY OF IRAN IS ALSO SUFFERING FROM THE LOWER OIL PRICES. UNEMPLOYMENT IS ON THE RISE SO THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM DIFFERENT MINISTRIES ON THE MINISTRY DEALING WITH THE REFUGEES TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP IN FINDING A SOLUTION.

HORNER: BUT, IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE IRANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE ALREADY STARTED DEPORTING AFGHAN REFUGEES? THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS.

DE MUL: WELL, IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT, THE DEFINITIONS OF WHAT IS DEPORTING. BASICALLY WHAT WE IMPRESSED UPON THEM, AND THAT IS ALSO THE ADVOCACY OF U-N-H-C-R (I.E. THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY) THERE, IS THAT WHENEVER THERE IS RETURN OF AFGHANS TO AFGHANISTAN IT SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY. AND IN PRINCIPLE, OF COURSE, THEY (IRAN) AGREED TO THAT.

// END ACT //

MR. DE MUL SAYS ALTHOUGH THE UNITED NATIONS HAS OFFERED TO HELP IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO AS MUCH AS IT WOULD LIKE WHILE INTERNATIONAL U-N STAFF REMAIN OUTSIDE OF AFGHANISTAN. FOREIGN STAFF WERE WITHDRAWN LAST AUGUST IN THE WAKE OF THE U-S MISSILE STRIKE ON AFGHANISTAN AND HAVE NOT RETURNED.

/// OPT ///

THE U-N COORDINATOR SAYS DURING THE TALKS WITH THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY, HIS TEAM ALSO DISCUSSED THE TEN-YEAR AFGHAN CIVIL WAR.

 

// DE MUL ACT // /// OPT ACT ///

THEY (IRAN) ALSO SAY THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN A MILITARY SOLUTION. THEY VERY MUCH HOPE THERE WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY FOR THE DIFFERENT GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN TO COME TOGETHER AND FIND WAYS AND MEANS TO CREATE A GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE. HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT THEY ALSO FIND VERY DIFFICULT.

// END ACT // /// END OPT ACT ///

U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE IMPETUS FOR THIS WEEK'S VISIT BY THE U-N HUMANITARIAN TEAM CAME FROM THE U-N SPECIAL ENVOY TO AFGHANISTAN,LAKHDAR BRAHIMI, WHO HEADS THE U-N'S AFGHAN POLITICAL MISSION.

MR. BRAHIMI WAS APPOINTED BY U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL, KOFI ANNAN. MR. ANNAN HAS SAID REGIONAL INTERFERENCE IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE CONTINUING AFGHAN CONFLICT AND HE HAS URGED A DIALOGUE AMONG COUNTRIES BORDERING AFGHANISTAN. (SIGNED)

NEB/SLH/LTD/GE

08-Jan-99 9:10 AM EST (1410 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America