Afghan Taliban Wait to See U.N. Initiative

Monday, January 24, 2000 11:59 AM EST

ISLAMABAD (Jan. 24) XINHUA - Afghan Taliban's Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil said Monday that the militia were waiting to see possible new steps taken by the United Nations for peace in his country.

"We are waiting for the new U.N. envoy to come to the region and we will see whether he has any new proposal or innovative idea, " he told a press conference here.

The United Nations has recently appointed Frances Vendrell of Spain as the U.N. secretary-general's new envoy for Afghanistan, who is expected to visit the region early next month.

Mutawakil called for the exclusion of the United States and Russia from the U.N. group on Afghanistan, known as "Six Plus Two, " which is composed of Afghanistan's six immediate neighbors as well as the two powers.

The Taliban official, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan, said the United States is blocking recognition of the Taliban government by the international community.

On issues back in Afghanistan, Mutawakil listed human rights, narcotics and terrorism as the three problems faced by the Taliban government.

He said the Taliban had never opposed women education. "It is paucity of resources which is main hindrance in female education."

Referring to his talks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar on Monday, Mutawakil said the talks covered bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern.

He said the head of Taliban's ruling Council, Mulla Muhammad Rabbani, would be visiting Pakistan soon, and hoped that the issue of transit trade would be sorted out during his trip.

Responding to a question on the Taliban's relations with Iran, he said there has been no progress in the political relations between the two countries.

The Taliban wanted to have friendly relations with all neighboring countries including Iran, he added.