January 5, 2000

United Nations sends urgent mission to Afghan city
KABUL, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The United Nations sent a team of experts to the western Afghan city of Herat on Friday to assess the needs of thousands of people displaced by drought, the U.N co-ordinator for Afghanistan said.

Afghan airline may be allowed access to funds
KABUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's state Ariana airline may be allowed access to funds frozen by U.N. sanctions to use for maintenance, a U.N. official said on Thursday.

Pakistan says will implement Afghan sanctions - BBC
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 4 - The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Abdul Sattar, has said Pakistan will comply with the United Nations Security Council sanctions on Afghanistan.

Central Asia leaders to discuss security at summit
ALMATY, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The presidents of four former Soviet Central Asian states meet in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, on Friday for a one-day summit expected to focus on security.

Talib provocations on Tajik-Afghan border possible
DUSHANBE, January 5 (Itar-Tass) - An armed invasion of Talibs across the Tajik-Afghan border is unlikely, but there is a danger of armed provocations. This view was expressed on Friday during

Paper says Afghan crisis near settlement
Tehran, Dec 4, IRNA -- A Tehran-based paper said the long-term strife in Afghanistan was close to end following a series of "international  and regional" efforts to find a solution for a an internal conflict

What forces Pakistan to join Shanghai-5?
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan has reportedly applied for Shanghai-5 membership, reports BBC.
China, Russia and Central Asian States have formed Shanghai­5 to tackle border issues. Pakistan has also keen interest in joining this group.

Pakistan for positive ties with new US set-up - Naveed Miraj Frontier Post 1/5
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday expressed its willingness to continue to play a mutually cooperative role with the new US administration headed by President-elect George W. Bush.

Five dead in Pakistan religious clash - BBC 1/5
At least five people have now died in clashes involving Sunnis and Shias in a tribal region in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, according to reports from the area

250,000 Afghan aliens in Iran
Shahroud, Semnan Prov. IRNA -- Of the 3.2 million Afghan refugees in Iran, only 250,000 are legal residents, a parliamentarian said here Thursday.

Muslims call for 'holy war' investigation - BBC 1/5
The Muslim peer Lord Ahmed of Rotherham has called for an investigation into the alleged recruitment of young British Muslims to fight in so-called holy wars.

Extremists attract students - Arslan Malik - Washington Times 01/5/2001)
Located in the northwestern Pakistani town of Akora Khattak is an Islamic seminary which boasts among its alumni virtually the entire leadership of the Taliban, the oppressive Islamist group that controls