Mutawakil proposes one-to-one battle between Omar, Bush & Blair

 Kandhar, Nov 5, IRNA - Taliban Foreign Minister Maulvi Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil has proposed one-to-one fight between President Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar to determine as to who stand and who will run in the fight.

"The Americans have launched propaganda that Mulla Omar has gone in hiding, so I will propose that Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush should take Klashnikovs and come to a specified place where Mulla Omar will appear with the Klashnikov to determine as to who will run," he said.

"Mulla Omar changes places because of security. He effectively runs affairs of the government as in the past," Mutawakil told reporters at Taliban Foreign Ministry's Guest House in Kandhar.

Mutawakkil denied reports about his visit to Pakistan and said he has not left Afghanistan since the US launched attacks against Afghanistan on October 7.

Asked why he denied reports about his visit very late, the Taliban Foreign Minister said he had given an interview to an American radio but it did not broadcast the interview. "Our spokesman Abdul Hai Mutmaen had rejected reports about the visit. I also denied the reports in my interviews with "Al-Jazeera".

Mutawakkil described as baseless reports about differences within the Taliban and said some people have unleashed a propaganda to please themselves.

"Dream of those will never be accomplished who want to see rift within Taliban ranks. He said useless efforts were made to show that there are differences among the Taliban leaders.

Asked if there is any possibility of negotiations to end the Afghan war, he said the United States has closed doors for talks and has launched military operations against Afghanistan. "After the American refusal to hold talks, now to whom we should talk to," he asked.

Replying to a question about the arrest of American soldiers by Taliban, he said he has no details about the arrests but said he will not deny these reports.

Asked about Pakistanis, who want to join Taliban in Jihad against the Americans, he said Taliban respect the sentiment of all Muslims but said the ground battle has not yet been started in Afghanistan.

"We will welcome all Muslims to join us after the ground fighting is started."

Asked who run Taliban affairs during the war, he said the system is being run like the past and the imposed war has not affected the Taliban's organizational set-up.

Talking about the attacks in Washington and New York, Mutawakkil said the attacks were carried out because of American oppressive system. "Some people have sacrifices their lives to invite attention of the international community against the brutalities of the United States".

When his attention was drawn towards reports about the killing of three British Muslims in Afghanistan, he said he appeals to the parents of these Muslims to demonstrate patience. He lauded the policy of the Iranian spiritual leader Sayed Ali Khamanei, who condemned the American bombardment of Afghanistan.

To a question about the American support to the United Front Alliance and bombing of the Taliban front lines, he said they are trying to capture Taliban controlled areas and the Taliban forces are defending themselves.

He said Americans were eyeing on the nuclear power and oil resources of two Afghan neighbours. He also condemned the United Nations policy and said that the UN should respect human rights in all countries including Afghanistan. He said Afghanistan should also be treated like other independent countries.

Replying to a question about Pakistan's policy about the U.S campaign, he said it has proved that Taliban were not the creation of Pakistan. "Taliban are not puppets of any one in ruling the country only with the support of the Afghan people".

Afghanistan is passing through critical juncture. Afghan nation has always confronted. He said with super powers in the past and today also defending itself against brutal attacks by US-led coalition.