ALMATY, Sept 14
(THE GLOBE)
“We hope that the declaration signed at the CITMA conference will be not just a declaration, but all countries will take practical measures,” the deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic State of Afghanistan announced in his exclusive interview to THE GLOBE on September 14 in Almaty.
According to Doctor Abdullo, the fact that all countries having different interests signed the declaration is the important step to achieve the common position.
Speaking about perspectives of the peaceful regulation of the Afghan conflict, the head of ISA delegation emphasised that the main obstacle was the position of the Taliban movement, which was based on a military settlement of that problem. Second, this is the comprehensive support of Talibs by Pakistan. That is why, Doctor Abdullo stated, the ISA government counted on the pressure on Pakistan and the Taliban movement by the international community, for example, in the form of different sanctions. Otherwise the conflict will continue and result in destabilisation of the entire region. The deputy of the ministry said that the project of the oil pipeline via Afghanistan was of double character. The positive one is that the pipeline will stir up the country’s economy. On the other hand, some oil companies believe that if the Taliban movement is supported, hence its security is guaranteed, this, in its own turn, will deepen the conflict.
Doctor Abdullo stated that the official Paris had never rejected to help the Northern Alliance, as it had been announced by representatives of Talibs. Only non-governmental organisations work in Afghanistan to render humanitarian aid.
Commenting the situation in Kyrgyzstan, the head of the ISA delegation affirmed that terrorist groups, which were in Batken region of Kyrgyzstan, supported the Taliban movement and that was obviously a threat of destabilisation by Talibs.
Besides, Doctor Abdullo emphasised that the Afghan Uzbeks continued to fight for the Northern Alliance, despite the general Abdurashid Dostum is in Turkey.
NEW DELHI, Sept 14
( The Hundu )
Stepping up its diplomatic offensive against international terrorism, India is reaching out to the United States, Russia as well as the regional countries affected by this menace.
Mr. Michael A. Sheehan, U.S Coordinator for counter-terrorism, is arriving here for a broad exchange of views with Indian officials on Friday.
These talks are taking place after the Government decided to make the battle against terrorism the focus of its foreign policy.
The Indo-U.S. dialogue on counter-terrorism has acquired special significance on account of the growing international concerns about narco-religious terrorism flowing out of the Afghanistan- Pakistan area.
The forthcoming talks follow the recent visit to the U.S. by two key officials of the Foreign Office to exchange views on Afghanistan and terrorism.
Mr. Sheehan has been travelling in West Asia and is on his way to East Asia. Significantly, he is not visiting Pakistan.
South Block officials are paying considerable attention to Mr. Sheehan’s trip on account of his status in the U.S. State Department. An Assistant Secretary rank official, Mr. Sheehan reports directly to the Secretary of State, Ms. Madeline Albright. He will also meet Home Ministry officials here.
Russia’s concern addressed
Meanwhile, India and Russia have decided to accelerate their cooperation against terrorism. This understanding was reached during the stop-over at New Delhi airport by the Russian Prime Minister, Mr. Vladimir Putin, this morning. Mr. Putin, who was on his way to Moscow from Auckland where he participated in the APEC conference, was received by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra.
Russia has been wracked by extremist violence and has been especially alarmed by the recent terrorist bombings in Moscow. Besides, it is battling Islamic militants in the strategic enclave of Dagestan. Dagestan, according to analysts, is of critical importance to Russia as an oil supply route to the country’s interiors.
According to Mr. Mishra, India supports the steps taken by Moscow to tackle insurgency in Dagestan. The Indo- Russian dialogue on terrorism and other related issues is likely to gather steam during the visit to Moscow on Thursday by the Foreign Secretary, Mr. K. Raghunath. India and Russia, sources pointed out, are expected to sign a declaration on “strategic partnership” during their next bilateral meeting.
India today advocated an Asian collective arrangement to counter cross-border terrorism. Addressing a meeting of the 17-member Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building in Central Asia (CICA) in Almaty (Kazakhstan), the External Affairs Mister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, declared New Delhi’s inclination towards establishing a regional collective security arrangement to counter terrorism.
“Our region is regrettably home to many terrorist groups and movements who recognise no frontiers. Can we not work collectively to counter the growing threat of cross-border terrorism to Asian, indeed global, peace, security and stability? These are some of the potential areas of cooperation for us,” Mr. Singh said.
Analysts here point out that the special focus on terrorism which was visible in the daylong CICA deliberations has been triggered by the spill-over of Islamic insurgency from Afghanistan into Central Asia. Member countries have been especially alarmed by the entrenchment by cross-border extremists in the mountains of Kyrghyzstan. Other Central Asian countries which have been affected by terrorist violence in the region are Tajikistan and Uzbekistan which border Afghanistan.
UNI reports:
Expressing concern over developments in Dagestan, Mr. Jaswant Singh, has, in a letter to the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr. Igor Ivanov, said terrorism had to be combated forcefully.
Tom De-Waal
14 Sept
(JL)
In JRL 3488 you kindly published a profile of mine of the Arab fighter Khatab, currently much in the news, in which I said I believed he was Saudi not Jordanian as most media sources continue to allege. Today the Jordanian Information Centre supplied the following to the BBC Arabic Service, with additional information on his origins. I have also heard that he was a protege of his fellow Saudi Bin Laden in Afghanistan, but that is completely speculative. Here is what the Jordanians say:
Habib Abdel Rahman Khatab Known as Khatab or Ibn Khatab He is a Saudi citizen. Born 1965 in Arar in the far north of Saudi Arabia, near the Iraqi border. His family is resident in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia.
Married to a Dagestani woman. Resident of Grozny, Chechnya
I hope this is of some use
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