Afghan opposition retains UN seat

A senior Afghan opposition spokesman has said that a United Nations committee has decided that Afghanistan's seat at the U.N. should remain with the ousted government of President Burhannudin Rabbani for another year.

Dr Abdullah, deputy foreign minister in the former government, told the BBC that the U.N. Credentials Committee made the decision late on Wednesday.

The Taleban, who control ninety per cent of Afghan territory, have said the seat should belong to them, especially in view of their recent advances.

But correspondents say the the territorial arguments have not been sufficient to satisfy the committee, which is concerned about human rights in the country.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service