DATE=7/2/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251352
TITLE=AFGHAN / U-N (L-ONLY) (CQ)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS UZBEKISTAN HAS AGREED TO ALLOW THE
WORLD BODY TO ESTABLISH A BASE FOR THE DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN
AID INTO NEIGHBORING AFGHANISTAN. AS SARAH HORNER REPORTS FROM
ISLAMABAD, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD THE RETURN OF
INTERNATIONAL STAFF TO NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN, FOLLOWING THEIR
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE AREA TWO YEARS AGO.
TEXT: NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN REMAINED LARGELY UNAFFECTED BY THE
DECADE-OLD CIVIL WAR UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO WHEN FIGHTING SWEPT INTO
THE REGION. OVER AN EIGHTEEN-MONTH PERIOD CONTROL OF THE MAIN
CITY OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF SHIFTED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER SEVERAL
TIMES AND THE CITY CAME UNDER SIEGE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
IN SEPTEMBER 1997, INTERNATIONAL STAFF WORKING IN THE CITY WERE
CONFINED TO THEIR HOMES FOR WEEKS BY FIERCE STREET FIGHTING. MOST
HOUSES AND OFFICES BELONGING TO AID AGENCIES WERE STRIPPED BARE
AND SOME EXPATRIATES WERE ASSAULTED. AS A RESULT, THE UNITED
NATIONS WITHDREW ALL INTERNATIONAL STAFF FROM NORTHERN
AFGHANISTAN.
U-N SPOKESWOMAN STEPHANIE BUNKER SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS HOPES
INTERNATIONAL STAFF WILL RETURN TO MAZAR-I-SHARIF IN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS.
// BUNKER ACT //
BEFORE WE CAN RESUME THE ASSISTANCE TO MAZAR (-I-SHARIF)
WE HAVE TO HAVE A WAY TO GET THAT ASSISTANCE IN THERE.
WE CAN'T GO UP THROUGH THE SOUTHERN ROUTE BECAUSE THE
ROADS ARE BLOCKED. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN EFFECTIVELY
DELIVER THIS ASSISTANCE IS THROUGH UZBEKISTAN.
// END ACT //
AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF FIGHTING, IN MAY 1997, UZBEKISTAN CLOSED
ITS BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN, BLOCKING A VITAL TRADE AND AID
ROUTE. MS BUNKER SAYS THE UZBEK GOVERNMENT HAS NOW AGREED TO
ALLOW THE UNITED NATIONS TO TRANSPORT HUMANITARIAN COMMODITIES IN
BARGES ACROSS THE AMU DARYA RIVER BETWEEN SOUTHERN UZBEKISTAN AND
NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN. THE LAND ROUTE, HOWEVER, REMAINS CLOSED.
THE AGREEMENT WITH THE UZBEK GOVERNMENT ALSO MARKS A FURTHER
IMPROVEMENT IN THAT COUNTRY'S RELATIONS WITH THE TALEBAN, WHICH
CONTROLS 90-PER CENT OF AFGHANISTAN.
THE TALEBAN IS OPPOSED BY THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE WHICH CONTROLS
THE REMAINING TEN PER CENT OF THE COUNTRY. ONE OF THE ALLIANCE
LEADERS, GENERAL ABDUL RASHID DOSTUM, IS AN ETHNIC UZBEK WHOSE
FORCES ONCE CONTROLLED THE PART OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN WHICH
BORDERS UZBEKISTAN.
IN THE PAST, THE GENERAL HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH TASHKENT.
GENERAL DOSTUM FLED AFGHANISTAN WHEN THE TALEBAN TOOK CONTROL OF
MAZAR-I-SHARIF AND MOST OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN ALMOST ONE YEAR
AGO.
IN EARLY JUNE, THE UZBEK FOREIGN MINISTER HELD A LANDMARK MEETING
IN AFGHANISTAN WITH THE TALEBAN LEADER. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/KL
02-Jul-99 8:25 AM EDT (1225 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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