May 16, 2000

Taliban kill 40 highwaymen
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghanistans Taliban have killed 40 highwaymen in two separate incidents in Farrah and Helmand provinces close to the Iranian border, reports BBC.

Musharraf in Turkmen pipeline talks
Developments in Afghanistan have also been discussed at talks in Turkmenistan between President Niyazov and the visiting Pakistani military leader, General Pervez Musharraf.

Afghan minister in Islamabad talks
The interior ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan Moinuddin Haider and Mawlawi Abdul Razaq have had a brief meeting in Islamabad in advance of official talks later today Tuesday.

Afghan Interior Minister meets Pak counterpart
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan and Afghanistan have ancient brotherly relations, which would continue to prosper and grow with the passage of time.

Afghans reluctant to return home: UNHCR
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The United Nations refugees agency, the UNHCR says it is being flooded by requests from Afghan refugees to be allowed to remain in Iran. It says thousands of refugees are afraid of return to Afghanistan under a repatriation programme that began a few weeks ago.

U.N.-Afghanistan-Vendrell
Early Settlement of Afghan Crisis Unlikely, Says UN Envoy
By Yassaman Taqibeigi
Tehran, May 15, IRNA -- Personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General to Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell believes that that "the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are not bright in terms of early settlement."

Pak-Afghan official talks begin on Tuesday
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan and Afghanistan begins extensive official talks on Tuesday on bilateral issues, focussing on ways to curb cross-border smuggling, terrorism as well as repatriation, officials and diplomatic sources said Monday.