DATE=8/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237510
TITLE=AFGHAN U-N (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED
INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS HAS EVACUATED ALL ITS FOREIGN STAFF
FROM AFGHANISTAN AFTER ONE OF ITS ITALIAN WORKERS WAS KILLED IN
THE CAPITAL, KABUL. SARAH HORNER REPORTS THE TALEBAN
AUTHORITIES IN KABUL SAY THEY HAVE ARRESTED THE MEN WHO
CARRIED OUT THE FATAL SHOOTING.
TEXT: COLONEL CARMINE CALO HAD BEEN WITH THE UNITED NATIONS
SPECIAL MISSION FOR AFGHANISTAN FOR JUST THREE WEEKS. THE
POLITICAL TEAM IS CHARGED WITH FINDING A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO
THE TWO DECADES OF WAR WHICH HAVE RIPPED APART AFGHANISTAN.
COLLEAGUES OF COLONEL CALO EXPRESSED SHOCK AT HIS DEATH. HE
DIED SATURDAY MORNING FROM COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING WOUNDS
HE SUSTAINED IN FRIDAY'S SHOOTING.
IN A STATEMENT IN THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD, THE HEAD OF
THE MISSION -- KNOWN AS UNSMA -- JAMES NGOBI, PRAISES COLONEL
CALO'S DEDICATION AND SAYS THE COLONEL GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE CAUSE
OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY.
MR NGOBI SAYS COLONEL CALO AND A FRENCH COLLEAGUE, ERIC
LAVERTU, WERE TRAVELLING IN A U-N MARKED CAR TO THE UNSMA'S
KABUL OFFICE WHEN THEY WERE INTERCEPTED HEAD-ON BY A TRUCK
CARRYING A NUMBER OF GUNMEN. MR NGOBI SAYS ONE MAN BEGAN
FIRING ON THE TWO U-N OFFICIALS INJURING BOTH OF THEM SEVERELY.
// OPT // MR NGOBI SAYS THE TWO WERE RUSHED TO THE
INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS HOSPITAL WHERE COLONEL CALO UNDERWENT
SURGERY. MR. LAVERTU WAS EVACUATED FROM KABUL TO PAKISTAN
FRIDAY AND COLONEL CALO WAS DUE TO BE EVACUATED SATURDAY. HIS
BODY HAS NOW BEEN FLOWN TO ISLAMABAD AND WILL THEN BEEN
TAKEN TO ITALY. // END OPT //
THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL, KOFI ANNAN, HAS
CONDEMNED THE ATTACK AND HAS CALLED ON THE TALEBAN -- WHICH
CONTROLS MOST OF AFGHANISTAN -- TO BRING THE PERPETRATORS TO
JUSTICE.
MR. NGOBI SAYS TALEBAN AUTHORITIES IN KABUL HAVE TOLD HIM THOSE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND WILL BE TRIED
BEFORE A TALEBAN MILITARY COURT.
THE ITALIAN CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IN ISLAMABAD TOLD REUTERS NEWS
AGENCY IT WAS CLEAR THE KILLING WAS NOT AN ERROR -- BUT A
REACTION TO THURSDAY'S BOMBING OF AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN BY
THE UNITED STATES.
THE DEATH HAS PROMPTED A SWIFT RESPONSE FROM THE UNITED
NATIONS. U-N OFFICIALS TELL V-O-A U-N PLANES HAVE BROUGHT ALL
REMAINING U-N STAFF OUT OF AFGHANISTAN AND INTO ISLAMABAD. U-N
STAFF IN THE PAKISTANI CITIES OF PESHAWAR AND KARACHI HAVE ALSO
BEEN PULLED BACK TO ISLAMABAD.
/// REST OPT ///
THERE WERE PROTEST ACROSS AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN FRIDAY
CONDEMNING THE U-S BOMBINGS. U-N OFFICIALS SAY U-N OFFICES IN THE
EASTERN AFGHAN CITY OF JALALABAD WERE RANSACKED BY HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE. FOREIGN AID WORKERS WERE FLOWN OUT OF THE CITY AS
THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS TELLS V-O-A IT HAS TAKEN OUT SOME
STAFF FROM AFGHANISTAN, BUT 50 WORKERS ARE REMAINING IN CITIES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.(SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/JO
22-Aug-98 9:42 AM EDT (1342 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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