September 1, 2000

Bomb Explodes in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Sep 1 2000 8:45AM ET
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - A powerful bomb exploded Friday outside the Pakistani consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, officials of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia said.

Bomb attack on Pakistani consulate
Friday, 1 September, 2000
There has been a bomb explosion outside the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan.
The building's outer wall was damaged in the explosion, but there were no casualties.

Pakistan backs Turkmenistan's Afghan peace move
By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Pakistan assured Turkmenistan on Thursday of its full support for an Turkmen initiative intended to bring peace to the countries' war-torn neighbour Afghanistan and more stability to Central Asia.

Mulla Omar believes his forces will soon defeat opponents
Islamabad, August 31, IRNA -- The leader of Taliban militia, Mulla Omar says his forces will soon defeat their opponents completely.

UN refuses to work under Taleban's thumb
By AAMIR SHAH
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug 31 (UPI) -- The United Nations Thursday refused to accept new rules of business that Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia has set for the world body to work in the country.

PAKISTAN ARMY RESHUFFLE
Hardline general loses power in Pakistani crisis
AHMED RASHID IN LAHORE.
Daily Telegraph. August 31, 2000.
Faced with mounting international diplomatic isolation and a huge fiscal crisis, Pakistan's military leader General Pervaiz Musharraf has reshuffled

Afghanistan fights to save its ancient monuments
BY NORMAN HAMMOND, ARCHAEOLOGY CORRESPONDENT - The Time 8
IMPORTANT ancient monuments in Afghanistan have been looted and destroyed over the past year, despite a formal prohibition by the Taleban Government on damaging them.

Daily calls for forcing Afghan factions to stop fighting
Tehran, Aug 31 (IRNA) -- An English-language daily on Thursday urged international community and Muslims to force Afghan warring sides to stop fighting and resume talks under the UN auspices

Armed Islamists seen as longer term threat for Central Asia
ALMATY, Aug 30 (AFP) - For the second time in a year, heavily armed and well-trained Islamic rebels have stormed into Central Asia in what looks set to become a recurring threat to the volatile but resource-rich region.

Wali renews opposition to devolution plan
opposes interference in Afghanistan; preaches peace and tolerance
Frontier Post
PESHAWAR, Aug 31 -- Emphasising on need to stop arms race between India and Pakistan, speakers and participants at a seminar on Wednesday were unanimous in stating that without peace none

Musharraf leaves for NY on Sep 5
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf will be proceeding to New York on September 5 to participate in the UN Millenium Summit to be held from 6-8 September, Foreign Office spokesman said Thursday.

THE FUTURE OF ISLAM IN CENTRAL ASIA: EXTREMISM OR MODERATION.
by AHMED RASHID.
The Nation. August, 2000.
Book Review.
ISLAM AND CENTRAL ASIA. AN ENDURING LEGACY OR AN EVOLVING THREAT?
EDITED BY ROALD SAGDEEV AND SUSAN EISENHOWER. CENTRE FOR POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES, WASHINGTON. 2000.
Recently there has been enormous journalistic and academic speculation about the growing threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism to the five Central Asian Republics (CARs). However much of the speculation has been either uninformed,