January 20, 2000

Senior Official Meets With Taliban
By Kathy Gannon
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000; 4:25 p.m. EST
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan –– The most senior U.S. official to visit Pakistan since an army coup met representatives of Afghanistan's Taliban rulers on Thursday, apparently to press for the expulsion of suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Taleban calls for negotiated Chechen settlement
The Taleban leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, has urged the Islamic Conference Organisation and the UN to put pressure on Russia to solve the Chechen crisis through negotiation.

Afghan Taliban want to join international cricket body
Thursday, January 20 6:58 PM SGT
KARACHI, Jan 20 (AFP) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia want to promote cricket in the war-ravaged country and are trying to join the International Cricket Council, Pakistani cricket officials said Thursday.

Afghan FM arriving on 23rd
Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Afghanistan Foreign Minister Maulvi Wakil Ahmed Mutawakel will be arriving here on Jan 23 for holding talks on regional and bilateral issues, sources said Tuesday.

Turkey Offers Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan
Wednesday, January 19, 2000 3:20 PM EST
ANKARA (Jan. 19) XINHUA - The Turkish government has decided to provide a total of 110 tons of wheat to the villagers in two northern Afghan provinces plagued by the freezing winter.

Afghan currency devalues
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The value of Afghan currency has sharply depreciated against foreign currency particularly against Pakistani rupee as the Afghans have to get one Pakistani rupee in exchange for 1000 Afghanis and approximately 54000

Iran denies report on possible ties with Taliban
TEHRAN (NNI): Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi on Wednesday denied a newspaper report that Iran may resume diplomatic relations with Afghanistan which is under the rule of the Taliban militia.