December 28, 2000

The year 2000 in Afghanistan By Ahmed Rashid

Dispatch of Russian troops to Afghansitan "political blunder"
Moscow, Dec 27 (IRNA) -- General Boris Gromov declared that the sending of the Soviet troops into Afghanistan in December 1979 was the greatest political mistake the echo of which has not died to date.

Afghan outlaws are threat to central Asia: Russian diplomat
DUSHANBE, Dec 27 (AFP) - Drug dealers and Islamic extremists have made Afghanistan a center of international terrorism that threatens former Soviet states in central Asia, a Russian diplomat said here on Wednesday.

South Asia a source of trouble, says Albright
WASHINGTON, Dec 26 (Dawn) -- Outgoing US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has said while there was a respite in tensions in South Asia, the region continued to be a great source of trouble.

Afghan: Bin-Ladin, Taleban said to be trying to acquire nuclear weapons
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 26, 2000
Text of report by London-based newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat web site on 12/25
Arab security sources have disclosed that Usamah Bin Ladin has sent experts to Eastern Europe to search for enriched uranium. However, their attempts failed [to achieve any results]

ISLAMIC MILITANTS TRAINED IN BRITAIN
LONDON, DECEMBER 28 (ITAR-TASS) - SOME 600 TO 700 VOLUNTEERS FOR CONTINUING THE "SACRED WAR" IN CHECHNYA, KASHMIR, AFGHANISTAN

RUSSIAN MINISTER PLEASED WITH RESULTS OF VISIT TO IRAN
TEHERAN, DECEMBER 28 (ITAR-TASS) -- RUSSIA AND IRAN HAVE CONFIRMED THEIR INTENTION TO COOPERATE ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES IN

US expert against new sanctions on Taliban
ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: Chairman of the Central Asian Research Institute, Frederick has expressed profound concern over new US-Russia sponsored sanctions on Afghanistan. In an interview he told

US denies deal with India to oust Taliban
Aziz Haniffa WASHINGTON - The Economic Times
THE CLINTON administration has strongly denied a think tank's allegation that it is conspiring with India to overthrow Afghanistanís Taliban regime and replace it with one that is more amenable to both Washington and New Delhi.

The Saudi connection
Editorial - The Hindustan Times (27 December 2000)
AMONG THE several new developments marking the Kashmir scene is the rather open involvement of Saudi Arabia in the affair. A meeting of militants and other Islamic organisations from Kashmir and Pakistan is being held there

The year 2000 in Afghanistan ­ II
By Ahmed Rashid - The Nation 12/282/000
LAHORE­The continued deterioration and criminalisation of Afghanistan's economy created growing international concern. Despite a severe draught, international diplomatic isolation