DATE=8/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237596
TITLE=U-N / TALEBAN Q-AND-A (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CHIEF REPRESENTATIVE IN NEW YORK OF AFGHANISTAN'S
TALEBAN LEADERSHIP, NOORULLAH ZADRAN, SAYS TENSION BETWEEN HIS
COUNTRY AND THE UNITED STATES COULD BE REDUCED IF WASHINGTON
AGREES TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. WASHINGTON AND MOST OF
THE REST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE
GOVERNMENT OF AFGHAN PRESIDENT BURHANUDDIN RABBANI. V-O-A'S
UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON SPOKE WITH MR. ZADRAN
ABOUT THE U-S / AFGHAN RELATIONSHIP, AND THE PRESENCE IN
AFGHANISTAN OF ALLEGED TERRORIST OSAMA BIN-LADEN.
INTERVIEW TEXT:
RUSTON: DOES YOUR GOVERNMENT HAVE ANY PLANS TO INVESTIGATE
WHETHER OSAMA BIN-LADEN IS CONNECTED TO ANY TERRORIST ACTS?
ZADRAN: THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MARVELOUS. I MEAN REALLY, REALLY,
YOU BROUGHT UP AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, AND I THINK THAT MUST BE
DONE. BUT PROVIDED THAT IF THERE IS ANY CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THERE,
THAT IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER IF WE CAN SOMEHOW, THE U-S
GOVERNMENT CAN ... THAT WE CAN HAVE A KIND OF DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT EASIER FOR US. AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT
HAVE ANY KIND OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP THAT USUALLY ONE CAN
HAVE WITH AN EXTRADITION TREATY, AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT
COULD BE DISCUSSED. BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, WHICH STOOD BY US IN THE 10 YEARS OF WAR, AND IS LOVED
IN THE HEART OF THE AFGHANS -- THAT AFTER ALL THAT THEY WOULD SEE
THE REALITY IN AFGHANISTAN AND ACT ACCORDINGLY AND SOMEHOW PUT AN
END TO THE MISERY OF THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AND ALSO FOR THE STABILITY
OF THAT REGION AND ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH US, SO WE
COULD SIT DOWN AND GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM.
RUSTON: AND IF THE UNITED STATES NOW PRESSES AFGHANISTAN TO
EXTRADITE OSAMA BIN-LADEN, HOW WILL YOUR GOVERNMENT RESPOND TO
THAT?
ZADRAN: WELL THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT I TRIED TO INDICATE TO THE
WHOLE WORLD, THAT YOU CANNOT EXTRADITE SOMEONE FROM A COUNTRY
WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRADITION TREATY, AND FOR THAT YOU
NEED A DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP, AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT WE ARE
ASKING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ... LET US HAVE THAT MUTUAL
RECOGNITION SO THAT WE WILL ESTABLISH A DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP,
AND AT THAT POINT IT WILL BE A LOT EASIER FOR OUR TWO
GOVERNMENTS, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR EMBASSY IN KABUL, THE
CAPITAL OF AFGHANISTAN, AND WE HAVE OUR EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON,
AND THIS WAY THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IT WILL MAKE IT
EVERYBODY'S LIFE A LOT EASIER.
OUTRO: THAT WAS THE CHIEF REPRESENTATIVE IN NEW YORK OF
AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN LEADERSHIP, SPEAKING WITH V-O-A'S UNITED
NATIONS CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON. (END)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF
24-Aug-98 3:12 PM EDT (1912 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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