Afghan Taleban assures Chechens of support
12:04 p.m. Jan 21, 2000 Eastern

KABUL, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement, the first government to recognise the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya, said on Friday it would offer all possible assistance to the Chechens in their fight against Moscow.

``We would spare no effort or assistance to Chechens if their government asks our leadership for it,'' Taleban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil told a news conference in Kabul.

He did not specify what type of support the Taleban would give to the Chechens.

``It is obvious that we don't have much possibilities of our own. But we would do whatever we can on a legal basis and (by) mutual understanding,'' Muttawakil said.

His comments came five days after the Taleban's Islamic government announced recognition of the Chechen government during a visit to Afghanistan by a former Chechen president, Zelimkhan Andarbayev, who was present at the news conference.

Muttawakil said work was under way to open a Chechen embassy in Kabul within two days.

Wearing a typical Caucasus hat, the bearded Andarbayev voiced the Chechen government's gratitude to Taleban for the recognition.

The Taleban, which controls about 90 percent of Afghanistan and is fighting a north-based opposition alliance, is itself struggling for international acceptance and its government is recognised by only three countries -- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.