December 21, 2000

UN staff hopeful of quick return to Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (AFP) - UN aid workers are hoping for a quick return to Afghanistan after withdrawing ahead of new sanctions imposed this week, but the political wing's future there remains in doubt, officials said Thursday.

Pakistan warns of possible refugee influx - BBC
The government of Pakistan has warned that tough new United Nations sanctions against Afghanistan could generate a massive exodus of refugees.

Mulla Omar stops people from anti-sanctions demonstrations
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Supreme leader of Taliban Mulla Mohammad Omar Wednesday asked the people not to hold demonstrations against the US, Russian-sponsored sanctions, saying the Americans

FM Spokeswoman on Issue of Afghanistan - China
BEIJING (Dec. 21) XINHUA - China holds that any decision made by the United Nations Security Council should help resolve the problems in Afghanistan as soon as possible

India urges Taliban to heed "international sentiments"
NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (AFP) - India on Wednesday urged Afghanistan's Taliban Islamic militia to learn a lesson from the widening of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council.

Anti-Taleban sanctions not harm people -- Russian FM
MOSCOW, December 20 (Itar-Tass) - Sanctions against Afghanistan's Islamic militia Taleban will be pinpointed so that not to cause humanitarian consequences, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

Afghan opposition for even tougher sanctions
The News: Jang
DUSHANBE: The Afghan opposition on Wednesday welcomed the toughening of UN sanctions against the ruling Taliban but said that more punitive measures were needed to force the Kabul regime to make peace.

Afghan opposition welcomes tougher U-N sanctions
Radio Australia
The Afghan opposition has welcomed the toughening of United Nations sanctions against the ruling Taliban militia.
But it says the UN

FIS head sees direct link between Chechnya and Afghanistan
MOSCOW, December 20 (Itar-Tass) - The director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Lebedev, said there is a direct connection between events in Afghanistan and the North Caucasus.

EU will abide by the UN sanctions on Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI) Although the European Union does not believe in the policy of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy but would abide the UN sanctions imposed against Afghanistan.

Sanctions to give encouragement to Afghan opposition: Vendrell
ISLAMABAD (NNI): UN Secretary General special envoy on Afghanistan Francesc Vendrell has said that new UN sanctions would simply give moral encouragement to the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

JUI slams UN sanctions on Taliban
ATTOCK (NNI): President Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Samiul Haq, on Wednesday termed UN sanction against Afghanistan brutal and gross human rights violations.

Sartaj Aziz criticize sanctions on Taliban
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Former Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz Wednesday criticizing the UN Security Council resolution to impose further sanctions against Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Sanctions to agonize Afghans: HRW
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The Human Rights Watch has said that UN sanctions particularly aviation sanctions on the Taliban would further agonize the Afghan people.

Pakistan blasts fresh sanctions against Taliban
The Independent
ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: Fresh United Nations sanctions against neighbouring Afghanistan's Taliban have Pakistan riled and warning Wednesday of a humanitarian disaster

Analysis: Pakistan, China collide over Islam
By RICHARD SALE, Terrorism Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Dec. 20 (UPI) - Last month, Chinese security forces at China's border with Pakistan arrested a group of over 200 Taliban and other Islamic militants,

Ban won't increase hardships: EU
By Hasan Akhtar
Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: The European Union (EU) viewed the new United Nations sanctions against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan as "regrettably unavoidable",

Arbitrary & ill-advised
Dawn (Editorial)
IT IS doubtful if the sanctions imposed by the Security Council on Afghanistan will have the effect the movers of the resolution have in their minds. Jointly sponsored

More sanctions on Kabul
The Nation (Editorial)
THE UN Security Council decision to impose additional sanctions on Afghanistan, the details of which a committee appointed by the Council has yet to work out,
Germany donates DM15.4 m for Afghans
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The German government has allocated in the year 2000 a total of DM 15.4 million for humanitarian assistance to the population in Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in Pakistan...

Afghans detained in Dagestan claim to be looking for job
MAKHACHKALA, December 21 (Itar-Tass) - Twelve citizens of Afghanistan who have illegally crossed the Russo-Azeri border have been detained in Dagestan on Thursday morning.

UN: Transcript of press conference by Secretary-General Kofi Annan
at Headquarters, 19 December 2000 - Excerpts on Afghanistan
DEC 21, 2000, M2 Communications - ... We have also had to deal with crises in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and East Timor, and we have just set up a new peacekeeping operation

Musharraf scoffs at rumors that he may yield power
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 21 (Kyodo) - Pakistan's military ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday defended his decision to send former Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif into exile and scoffed at the idea that he may yield power.

Bin Laden associate charged with bid to kill guard
By Gail Appleson, Law Correspondent
NEW YORK, Dec 20 (Reuters) - A defendant indicted with Osama bin Laden in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa was charged on Wednesday with trying to kill

Survey Shows a Record 40 Percent of World Is Free
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A report on worldwide democracy and human rights released on Wednesday found major progress in those areas in Mexico and Yugoslavia, with over 40 percent of the world's population living in free nations.

Iran Halts Meat Import from Germany
TEHRAN (Dec. 20) XINHUA - In view of the spread of mad cow disease in the European Union countries, Iran has halted the import of German meat since early this month