March 4, 2000

U.N. council demands Taleban halt latest offensive
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Reuters) - The Security Council demanded on Friday that Afghanistan's Islamist Taleban rulers halt their latest offensive and said it was ready to consider imposing unspecified ``further measures'' to enforce its

Afghan Opposition Claims Key Pass
.c The Associated Press
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - The alliance fighting Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia said Friday it had captured a strategic northern mountain pass during a major new offensive in the Central Asian country.

Afghan opposition makes advances in Takhar
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghan opposition United Front claimed that its forces have made advances in the northern province of Takhar and repulsed several attacks by Taliban.

ANALYSIS-Afghan war may boost Russia in C.Asia
By Mike Collett-White
ALMATY, March 3 (Reuters) - Russia may exploit security concerns across Central Asia caused by renewed fighting in Afghanistan to regain its lost influence over the strategic region, political analysts said on Friday.

Hijacked Afghan plane returns to Kabul
KABUL, March 4 (Reuters) - An Afghan Boeing 727 plane hijacked to London last month returned to Kabul on Saturday without its two flight recorders, officials said.

Turkmenistan's foreign minister arrives on 3-day visit
.c Kyodo News Service
ISLAMABAD, March 4 (Kyodo) - Turkmenistan Foreign Minister and Vice Premier Boris Shikhmuradov arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for a three-day visit to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including the conflict in Afghanistan,

taliban to attend jeddah meeting
islamabad, march 2, irna - taliban militia has decided to attend the proposed jeddah meeting among different afghan factions, under the oic patronage. the pakistan daily, "the news" quoted the in charge of taliban foreign ministry, wakil ahmad

Iran election results pose challenge for Pakistan
By William Maley - The Friday Times - Vol XI, No. 52, March 3-10, 2000
Iran's parliamentary elections are likely to prove a landmark in the transformation of the political system of the Islamic Republic. Ever since the election of Mohammad Khatami as President in 1997, it had been clear that winds of change were

Taliban attend UN conference on polio in Nepal
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The Taliban Health Secretary, Mulla Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai at the head of a three-member delegation attended UN conference on polio eradication in Nepal.