March 30, 2001

Moscow has contacts with Taliban: deputy foreign minister
MOSCOW, March 29 (AFP) - Russia has unofficial contacts with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia, Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov said on Thursday.

Iran accuses Taliban of blocking border river
TEHRAN, March 29 (AFP) - Iran has complained to the United Nations that Afghanistan's Taliban regime has cut off an important border river, seriously damaging Iranian agriculture,

Taliban reject Amensty International's report about Yakaolang killing   
Islamabad, March 29, IRNA -- Afghanistan's Taliban militia on Thursday rejected the report of Amnesty International about the Yakaolang killing in last January.

Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan want broad-based Afghan govt
ISLAMABAD, March 29 (Reuters) - Pakistan and the central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan called on Thursday for a multi-ethnic government in their war-torn neighbour Afghanistan.

Russia guards register close fighting in Afghanistan
DUSHANBE, Mar 30, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- Combat operations between detachments of the Northern Alliance and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, close to the Tajik border,

After the dust clears from the wrecked statues at Bamiyan, another ancient
Buddha reappears By Ahmed Rashid in Dushanbe - WSJ
WHEN AFGHANISTAN'S TALIBAN declared its intention to destroy the ancient Buddhas at Bamiyan, it only added impetus to the restoration of a unique 5th century stone statue

INTERVIEW-Uzbeks gear up for Islamic insurgency
By Dmitry Solovyov
TASHKENT, March 30 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan is beefing up its army in anticipation of invasions by Islamic terrorists and drug traffickers this summer,

UK To Re-Start Funding British NGOs In Afghanistan
 London, March 30, IRNA -- The British government has reviewed its ban on financing NGO activities in Afghanistan involving UK nationals because of security risks

ECO activity to be effective only upon Afghan issue solution
DUSHANBE, Mar 29, 2001 (Itar-Tass) -- The current instability in Afghanistan "is exercising a huge negative influence on the activity of the Economic Cooperation Organization,

Osama vows to fight Islam's enemies
ISLAMABAD, Mar 29 (South Nexus) -- Despite the reported restrictions clamped on him by the Taliban militia, Saudi terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has called a huge gathering

Pakistani journalist attacks Afghan policy
LAHORE, Pakistan, March 28 (UPI) -- A leading Pakistani journalist has attacked the Islamabad government's support for the Taliban in Afghanistan, charging it has made

PM's visit to breathe life into Indo-Iranian ties
By Seema Guha - The Times of India News Service 3/30/01
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will travel to Iran next month on his first official visit to a country which India considers strategically important.

World Bank relief for Pakistan's drought - BBC
The World Bank says it's mobilising resources worth several hundred-million dollars to help Pakistan through its worsening drought.