November 7, 2000

Heavy rains in Afghanistan after 18-month drought
ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Drought-hit areas of Afghanistan received heavy rain on Tuesday, breaking a long dry spell and raising the hopes of farmers ahead of wheat planting due this month.

UN again accepts credentials of anti-Taliban group
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The 189-member U.N. General Assembly accepted without a vote on Monday the credentials of 132 member countries that have so far presented them for

Afghan opposition gloomy about UN peace talks
KABUL, Nov 7 (AFP) - Afghanistan's armed opposition on Tuesday said it was not optimistic about UN-sponsored peace talks with the ruling Taliban militia announced last week.

Afghan opposition to open new fronts against Taliban
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghan opposition Northern Alliance has decided to open new fronts against the Taliban.

Leader of Islamic party calls for revolting against Taleban
Tehran, Nov 7 IRNA-Itar-Tass-ACSNA -- Leader of Afghanistan's Islamic Party Gulbeddin Hekmatyar called on all Afghans to revolt against the Taleban movement.

Annan urged to pressure Taliban to clarify fate of diplomat
Tehran, Nov 6 (IRNA) -- The relatives of Iranian diplomat at Iran's Consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Majid Nouri Niyaraki said on Monday that the body handed over to Iran by the Taliban is not the remains of the diplomat.

No beard, no service, Afghan Taleban tell citizens
KABUL, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taleban will not provide any services to men without beards, residents of the capital Kabul said on Monday.

Kazakhs see Taleban dominating future Afghan govt
By Sebastian Alison
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Kazakh Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev gave Afghanistan's ruling Taleban militia hope of wider international recognition on Tuesday, saying he saw it dominating a future government there.

Kazakhstan pushing for peacemaking role in Afghanistan
ASTANA, Nov 6 (AFP) - Kazakhstan pushed for a role as peacemaker in the ongoing Afghan civil war Monday during a two-day visit by Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan hopes for peaceful settlement in Afghanistan
ASTANA, November 6 (Itar-Tass) - Pakistan welcomed the decision adopted by the Friends and Neighbours to Afghanistan group in New York on November 3 to facilitate negotiations between the Taleban and the Northern alliance.

Pakistan, Turkmens renew gas talks in flying visit
By Sebastian Alison
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The leaders of Pakistan and former Soviet Turkmenistan met briefly on Monday and renewed talks on building a connecting gas pipeline, Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said on Tuesday.

Taliban commission discusses oil, gas exploration
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The economic Commission of the Taliban discussed the possibilities of oil and gas exploration in southern Afghan province of Kandahar.

Afghanistan called link of Yemenis, terrorists
Officials knew bombers, aided them, sources say - AP / Nov 7 2000
ADEN, Yemen - The men who bombed the USS Cole got help from Yemeni officials who fought alongside them in Afghanistan in the 1980s, sources close to the case said yesterday

US warned against attack on Afghanistan
MUZAFFARABAD (NNI): Central Amir of Harkatul Mujahideen, Maulan Mohammad Farooq Kashmiri has cautioned the United States of befitting response against its attack on Afghanistan.

More Afghan refugees enter Pakistan
KHYBER PASS, Nov 5: Almost 30,000 Afghan refugees have entered Pakistan since the start of September through the Torkham border post here, where UN officials fear a humanitarian emergency is unfolding.

45,000 Afghans seek asylum in US, Europe
Frontier Post - 11/6/00
PESHAWAR (Online) - More than 45,000 nationals of the war-devastatedAfghanistan apply for political asylum in US, Europe and other developed countries every year,

Central Asia Asking for Holy War - Far Eastern Economic Review
For 10 years the region's leaders have ruled out democracy. The result: an increasingly militant underground Islamic opposition
By Ahmed Rashid/Tashkent and Dushanbe, Nov. 2000
Among the bureaucrats and diplomats who keep the wheels of government turning in Central Asia's five republics, there has long been a taboo on even mild, private criticism of the national leader.

Taliban planning revival of tourism
By Luke Harding
Dawn
KABUL: The Afghan capital's Hotel Intercontinental is a ghostly place these days. Built by the British in 1970, it was once at the centre of Afghanistan's tourist industry.