May 3, 2001

US Senators Ask for More US Aid, Call Afghans' Condition "Horrendous"
Pressure Mounting on Humanitarian and Political Fronts to Address Afghan Crisis
By Omar Samad
WASHINGTON, May 3, 2001 - AAR - In a letter to US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday, 13 US Senators called for "immediate action by the United States and the international community

Afghan Taliban said to launch offensive in Bamiyan
ISLAMABAD, May 3 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement launched a major assault against its opponents in the central province of Bamiyan on Thursday, capturing a bazaar

Taleban rejects ceasefire
Mr Lubbers has been meeting refugees
BBC News
Afghan's ruling Taleban movement has rejected a UN call for a temporary ceasefire to help tackle a humanitarian crisis. UN refugee chief Hans Lubbers's

Afghan women tell tales of brutality, terror at hands of Taliban
BRUSSELS, May 3 (AFP) - Three Afghan woman at European Parliament Thursday told tales of brutality, terror and death at the hands of the ruling Taliban in retribution for trying to educate

Sanctity of Torkham border restored: 4 ministers sent back, says Moin
By Muhammad Ali Siddiqi - DAWN
KARACHI, May 2: The government last month stopped the entry of four Afghan ministers into Pakistan because they were crossing the border without valid documents, Interior Minister

Pakistan rejects US allegations
Foreign office terms report on terrorism flawed - The News Int.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan dismissed on Wednesday the US allegations that Islamabad's support to the Taliban and militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir was increasing. A foreign ministry

UN refugee head pushes for ceasefire
By Susannah Price in Kabul - BBC
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, is on the last day of a trip to Afghanistan to discuss plans for a temporary ceasefire.

US senators call for more US aid for Afghan refugees
WASHINGTON, May 2 (AFP) - Thirteen US senators are calling on Secretary of State Colin Powell to provide 30 million dollars worth in emergency aid for Afghanistan, warning failure

70,000 Afghans may get refugee status
By Zulfiqar Ali - DAWN
PESHAWAR, May 2: Pakistan and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) are close to an agreement on the registration of more than 70,000 Afghan refugees

UNHCR chief to visit Afghan refugees camps near Peshawar
 Islamabad, May 2, IRNA -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Professor Ruud Lubbers is scheduled to visit new Shamshatoo and Jalozai refugee camps near Peshawar.

Iran urges repatriation of Afghan refugees
The News: Jang - 5/2/01
MASHHAD, Iran: Afghan refugees with no serious security worries in their country should be repatriated from Iran, the head of the Bureau for Foreign Nationals and Refugees of the Interior Ministry

WFP buys Pakistani wheat to feed Afghan refugees
Islamabad, May 2, IRNA -- The World Food Programme Wednesday decided to purchase 2,143 tons of wheat from the surplus stocks of Pakistan to help feed Afghan refugees who live

Terrorism, Afghanistan on Ivanov's India agenda
The Times of India
MOSCOW: Afghanistan, international terrorism, the Indian prime minister's visit to Moscow and a range of bilateral and international issues would figure high on the agenda of Russian Foreign

Bush takes one more woman on South Asia team
By Chidanand Rajghatta - The Times of India News Service
WASHINGTON: Appropriately perhaps for a region that threw up so many women leaders, the Bush administration's South Asia policy may now be handled by a covey of female diplomats.

Kharrazi arrives in Tajikistan for ECO session
 Dushanbe, May 3, IRNA-- Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi here on Thursday to attend the 11th session of the Foreign Ministers'  Council of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

Pak-China relations: Agreements and differences
Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad - The Nation opinion excerpts
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji is visiting Pakistan from 11 May for four days. The visit is a part of five country tour which also include Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Thailand.