May 10, 2000

Afghan factions 'agree PoW swap'
The warring sides in Afghanistan are reported to have agreed to a full exchange of prisoners during peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Iranian deputy foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the BBC that the process would start as soon as the International

Taleban deny breakthrough at OIC peace talks
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Reuters) - The Taleban on Wednesday strongly denied reports that peace talks in Saudi Arabia had reached agreement on a ceasefire to civil war.

Turkish soldiers kill nine Afghan immigrants at Iranian border
ANKARA, May 10 (AFP) - Turkish soldiers killed nine Afghans and wounded five when they opened fire on a group trying to cross into Turkey from Iran, the Anatolia news agency reported Wednesday.

Pakistan to support Loi Jirga proposal if acceptable to Afghans: FO
ISLAMABAD (May 10) : Pakistan on Tuesday said it would support the idea of convening Loi Jirga (Grand Assembly) for restoration of peace in war-shattered land if it was acceptable to Afghans.

Afghanistan's raw opium production expected to fall this year
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, May 10 (AFP) - Opium production in Afghanistan, the world's largest producer of the drug, is expected to fall this year from last year's record 4,600 tonnes, officials said.

U.N. Special Rapporteur Urges Afghan Sides Not to Resume Armed Conflict
UNITED NATIONS, May 9(Xinhua) -- The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Kamal Hossain, on Tuesday appealed to Afghan sides not to resume armed conflict and to avoid violations.

UN wants $1.8m for Afghan drought
By Kate Clark - BBC
The United Nations says $1.8m is needed in Afghanistan just for urgent short-term measures to counteract a drought.
It says considerable additional resources will be needed over the next 12 or 18 months, to help people survive until the next harvest.<

Drought claims 25 lives in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, May 9 (AFP) - At least 25 people, most of them children, have died of dehydration and hunger in drought-stricken southern Afghanistan, a private news service reported Tuesday.

taliban concerned at levy of tax by pakistan
islamabad, may 9, irna -- afghanistan's taliban expressed concern ove the general sales tax and customs duty on 'foreign goods' levied by pakistan, reported karachi-based 'dawn' newspaper. pakistan government recently announced that it will impose general sales

U.S. pays $25.2 million to UN refugee agency
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The United States has paid $25.2 million to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), bringing to $140 million its funding so far for fiscal year 2000, the State Department said on Tuesday.

Georgia denies storing Taliban shipment to Chechnya
TBILISI, May 9 (Itar-Tass) - The State Customs Department of Georgia has refuted reports about storing of some military cargo shipped by Afghanistan's Taliban to Chechnya, S-3 and S-8 missiles, at a customs terminal of Georgia.

State Department study blasts US humanitarian aid in crises
WASHINGTON, May 9 (AFP) - An internal State Department report has blasted US humanitarian responses to international crises and proposes a vast overhaul of the way Washington coordinates emergency aid, documents showed Tuesday.