December 27, 2005

Afghanistan to examine Russia's claim over loan
Afghanistan may demand war compensation from Russia
KABUL, Dec. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Afghan government said on Tuesday it would examine Russia's demand over loan extended to the country during the ex-Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan.

"The government of Afghanistan is examining the claim," Presidential spokesman Mohammad Karim Rahimi said at a weekly press briefing on the 26th anniversary of the ex-Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan.

He did not elaborate on the figure that Russia has been demanding, while Moscow says that it extended some 10 billion US dollars as loan to Afghanistan in the last century.

Over 100,000 troops of the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 27, 1979 and occupied the country till February 15, 1989.

The poor central Asian state plunged into civil war following the withdrawal of the Red Army and experienced brutal factional fighting as well as Taliban's hard-line rule till the regime's collapse by the U.S.-led war in 2001.

Millions of Afghans had been killed and handicapped during the 10-year Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Rahimi said.

"The destruction of Afghanistan began with the invasion of the Soviet Union as the country's all political, economic and social infrastructures had been destroyed," he added. Enditem

---

Afghanistan to Demand Compensation for Soviet Invasion
December 27, 2005 MosNews
The Afghan government has hinted at a demand for war compensation from Russia for the former Soviet Union’s invasion of the country in 1979, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The government of Afghanistan is mulling over the issue,” presidential spokesman Mohammad Karim Rahimi said on the day marking the 26th anniversary of the ex-Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

Over 100,000 troops of the former Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on Dec. 27, 1979 and occupied the country till Feb.15, 1989.

The poor central Asian state plunged into civil war following the withdrawal of Soviet troops and experienced brutal factional fighting as well as the Taliban’s hard-line rule till the regime’s removal by the U.S.-led war in 2001.

Rahimi also said millions of Afghans had been killed and handicapped during the 10-year Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

“The destruction of Afghanistan began with the invasion by the Soviet Union as all the country’s political, economic and social infrastructures had been destroyed,” he noted.

Afghan officials in the past have also unofficially suggested making demands for war compensation from Russia, but the government has yet to forward it formally.

---

Top Taliban Commander Warns of More Suicide Attacks
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
December 27 2005 -- A top Taliban commander has warned of more suicide attacks in Afghanistan.

Mullah Dadullah told the AP news agency that more than 200 Taliban fighters had volunteered to carry out such attacks against U.S. forces and their allies. He ruled out any reconciliation with the U.S.-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.

A spokesman for Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, General Mohammed Zahir Azimi, dismissed Dadullah's claims as "propaganda" and said Afghanistan had enough security forces to deal with the rebels. There have been a series of suicide attacks in Afghanistan in recent months, sparking fears the rebels could be adopting tactics used in Iraq.

---

UK soldier injured in Afghanistan
Tuesday, 27 December 2005 BBC News
A British soldier has been injured by a roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan.

The man, who has not been named, was one of two Nato peacekeepers hurt when the convoy he was travelling in was hit by the blast in Baghlan Province.

Neither his injuries nor those of the Dutch soldier also hurt are thought to be life-threatening.

Both men were treated in a German medical centre after the attack on the International Security Assistance Force convoy between Pol e-Khmori and Konduz.

Two Afghan citizens were also hurt in Monday's blast, according to reports.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed there was an explosion involving an Isaf convoy in the area.

He said: "Four Isaf personnel were involved. Two Isaf personnel were injured, one of whom was UK armed forces personnel serving with Isaf.

"One vehicle was heavily damaged. The injuries are not life-threatening. There are no further details at this stage."

Renegade warlord

The region's chief of police told the Associated Press agency the explosion was caused by a remote-controlled landmine.

He blamed Hizb-e-Islami, an Islamic faction led by a renegade warlord.

The police chief also said there had been some arrests in connection with the blast, but he did not give any details.

There are about 12,000 soldiers from 36 nations serving with Isaf in Afghanistan.

A separate US-led coalition of 20,000 soldiers is hunting for Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters mainly in the east and south of Afghanistan.

---

"Afghanistan seeks Iran's Majlis experience"
LONDON, December 27 (IranMania) - Afghanistan's Parliament Speaker Muhammad Younes Qanooni said that his country is willing to benefit from "valuable experience" of Iran's Islamic Majlis, IRNA said.

The Afghan Parliament Speaker made the comment in a meeting with visiting Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr Mottaki.

Appreciating the Islamic Republic of Iran's hospitality rendered to Afghan refugees during the past decades and Iran's cooperation in reconstruction process of Afghanistan, he said, "We have left behind a very sensitive stage of our law making process, and fortunately, today representatives of all Afghan tribes and parties gather under the same roof to consult on sensitive national affairs."

Qanooni reiterated, "An Afghan parliamentary delegation would visit the Islamic Republic of Iran in near future to be benefited from the experience of the representative of Iran's Islamic Majlis." Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr Mottaki, accompanied by Iranian Parliament's presiding board member MP Moussa Qorbani, too, during the meeting delivered the Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel's congratulation message to his Afghan counterpart and invitation for an official visit to Iran.

Mottaki meanwhile announced the Iranian Parliament's readiness nd willingness to exchange and share experience with Afghanistan's newly established Parliament.

---

Karzai: Iran's help has contributed to Afghanistan development
Kabul, Dec 27, IRNA
Afghanistan's President Hamed Karzai in a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister in Kabul said that the assistance rendered by Iran has helped Afghanistan to find its rightful place.

The Afghan government and nation are thankful for this help, he added.

In a meeting with visiting Iranian foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the Afghan president referred to the relation between Afghanistan and its neighbors.

"Afghanistan wishes further progress and development of Iran and will not let anyone drive a wedge between the two Moslem neighbors," Karzai added.

He also referred to the many shortcomings in his country due to past three decades of conflict.

"We should draw assistance from Iran's experiences to boost the development drive in Afghanistan."

He accepted an invitation from Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a visit to Tehran.

Mottaki said Tehran has put expansion of relations with its neighbors on its list of foreign policy priorities.

He also expressed satisfaction over the process of

institutionalization of democracy underway in Afghanistan.

The two nations' officials are resolved to strengthen ties in all fields and "we believe that the capacities should be raised in all levels."

Expansion of mutual trade, joint investments legalization of border controls and expansion of judicial, legal and parliamentary relations are all among the factors upon which the two nations could forge closer ties, he said.

In the aftermath of the fall of the Taliban, Afghan ethnic groups signed a UN-sponsored deal in Bonn, Germany in December 1998 that paved the way for the establishment of the interim government headed by ethnic Pashtun tribal leader Hamid Karzai.

Election of an interim president for the provisional Afghan government, formation of the Loya Jirga (grand assembly) and election of members of the lower house of parliament and councils were the main features of the Bonn Agreement.

Rival factions in the Loya Jirga agreed later on a constitution, which paved the way for the first free elections held in the country after over two decades of war.

Karzai won the presidential election held in Nov 2004 by a landslide and was sworn in for a five-year term.

The election of a lower house of parliament and councils in each of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan last September was the last step toward establishing a stable and democratic government for the country under the Bonn Agreement.