DATE=9/18/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41416
TITLE=THE AFGHANISTAN DILEMMA (1)
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AFTER INTENSE FIGHTING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE TALEBAN
FORCES ARE CLOSE TO GAINING CONTROL OF AFGHANISTAN, BUT THEY ARE
NOW THREATENED WITH A POSSIBLE ATTACK FROM IRAN, ANGERED OVER THE
KILLING OF SOME OF ITS DIPLOMATS BY THE TALEBAN. NOT ONLY IRAN,
BUT A VARIETY OF OTHER COUNTRIES ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE
AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT, MAKING IT THAT MORE DIFFICULT TO END. IN
THE FIRST OF TWO SCRIPTS, V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS ON THE MANY
LAYERED STRUGGLE.
TEXT: KARL INDERFURTH HAS BEEN MAKING FREQUENT TRIPS TO THE
UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK TO TRY TO END THE FIGHTING IN
AFGHANISTAN. AS THE U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOUTH
ASIAN AFFAIRS, HE IS PRESSING REPRESENTATIVES OF NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES OF AFGHANISTAN TO WORK OUT SOME AGREEMENT THAT WILL
FINALLY BRING PEACE TO A NATION THAT HAS BEEN EMBROILED IN WAR
FOR 20 YEARS.
MR. INDERFURTH RECOGNIZES THAT THE FERVENTLY ISLAMIST TALEBAN NOW
CONTROL MOST OF AFGHANISTAN, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY FORCE IN
THE COUNTRY:
// INDERFURTH ACT //
WE BELIEVE THAT THERE CAN BE NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO THE
CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN. EVEN IF THE TALEBAN TAKES MORE
TERRITORIAL CONTROL, THERE WILL STILL BE RESISTANCE. AND
THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THIS CONFLICT IS FOR THE TALEBAN TO
SIT DOWN WITH THE OTHER FACTIONS AND WORK TOWARD A
PEACEFUL RESOLUTION AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INTERESTS OF
ALL THE FACTIONS.
// END ACT //
DESPITE U-S PRESSURE, THERE IS NO SIGN THE TALEBAN ARE READY TO
TAKE SUCH STEPS. INDEED, REPORTS ARE INCREASING OF MASSACRES OF
CIVILIANS BY THE TALEBAN AS THEY HAVE FOUGHT THEIR WAY NORTH
TOWARD THE BORDER WITH IRAN. AMONG THE VICTIMS WERE A GROUP OF
IRANIAN DIPLOMATS .
IN RESPONSE, IRAN HAS CONCENTRATED TROOPS NEAR THE BORDER AND
THREATENED TO STRIKE IF TALEBAN PROVOCATIONS CONTINUE. THERE ARE
FEARS OF A WIDER WAR IN AN ALREADY VOLATILE REGION.
SECRETARY INDERFURTH SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN UNABLE TO
CONFIRM THE ATROCITY REPORTS SINCE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS LEFT
THE AREA OF THE FIGHTING IN EARLY AUGUST:
// INDERFURTH ACT //
WE WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME AN INVESTIGATION OF THESE
ALLEGATIONS BY INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL BODIES. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED
CROSS MAY BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE HAVE REPEATEDLY RAISED
OUR HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS DIRECTLY WITH TALEBAN
OFFICIALS. WE HAVE ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
TO USE ITS INFLUENCE WITH THE TALEBAN ON THIS ISSUE.
// END ACT //
PAKISTAN IS ONE OF SEVERAL NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
INTERESTS IN AFGHANISTAN AND HAVE HELPED KEEP THE WAR GOING.
WHILE IRAN AND RUSSIA HAVE AIDED THE NOW FADING NORTHERN
OPPOSITION, PAKISTAN HAS SUPPORTED THE TALEBAN.
THOMAS GOUTTIERRE, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR AFGHANISTAN STUDIES
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, SAYS SOME ELEMENTS OF THE
PAKISTANI MILITARY MAY BE OPERATING OUT OF CONTROL OF THEIR OWN
GOVERNMENT:
// GOUTTIERRE ACT //
THAT IS WHAT I CALL THE PRIVATIZATION OF PAKISTANI
POLICY CONCERNING AFGHANISTAN. MONEYS ARE AVAILABLE
THROUGH PEOPLE LIKE OSAMA BIN LADEN AND OTHER SOURCES IN
THE PERSIAN GULF TO CONTINUE TO ARM AND SUPPORT GROUPS
IN AFGHANISTAN. THE PAKISTANIS HAVE CERTAINLY DONE FAR
MORE IN PROVIDING SUPPORT TO VARIOUS GROUPS AT DIFFERENT
TIMES IN AFGHANISTAN THAN EVER THE IRANIANS HAVE
PROVIDED.
// END ACT //
PROFESSOR GOUTTIERE THINKS CLOSER U-S RELATIONS WITH IRAN WOULD
HELP RESTORE PEACE. OTHER ANALYSTS SAY THE MAIN DANGER COMES FROM
IRAN SEEKING HEGEMONY IN THE REGION AT THE EXPENSE OF THE WEST.
SO AFGHANISTAN IS ENTANGLED IN LARGER GEOPOLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS
THAT IMPEDE AN END TO THE WARFARE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PT
18-Sep-98 8:30 PM EDT (0030 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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