DATE=7/22/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-252030
TITLE=AFGHAN / U-N (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS IT IS RESUMING OPERATIONS IN
NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER. AS SARAH
HORNER REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, INTERNATIONAL U-N STAFF LEFT THE
REGION TWO YEARS AGO AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING THERE.
TEXT: NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN REMAINED LARGELY UNAFFECTED BY THE
DECADE-OLD AFGHAN CIVIL WAR UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO. 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 MANY OCCASIONS.
IN SEPTEMBER 1997, FOREIGN AID WORKERS 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.
FOR THE PAST YEAR, NEARLY THE ENTIRE REGION HAS BEEN CONTROLLED
BY THE TALEBAN. ALTHOUGH SMALL CLASHES BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND
THE OPPOSITION NORTHERN ALLIANCE HAVE TAKEN PLACE, THE AREA HAS
BEEN LARGELY PEACEFUL AND THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION THERE IS
REPORTED TO HAVE IMPROVED.
A U-N STATEMENT SAYS A TEAM OF U-N STAFF VISITED MAZAR-I-SHARIF
IN EARLY JULY. THE TEAM ALSO CARRIED OUT FIELD MISSIONS IN SIX
NORTHERN AFGHAN PROVINCES (FARYAB, JOWZJAN, SARIPUL, BALKH,
SAMANGAN, BAGHLAN) EXAMINING HEALTH, FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES AND
MEETING WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
THE STATEMENT SAYS THE U-N MISSION ALSO MADE PREPARATIONS FOR THE
FULL-TIME RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL STAFF BY STUDYING CROSS-BORDER,
LOGISTICAL AND STORAGE ISSUES.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE UNITED NATIONS ANNOUNCED UZBEKISTAN HAD
GIVEN PERMISSION FOR U-N SUPPLIES TO BE SHIPPED ACROSS THE AMY
DARYA RIVER BETWEEN SOUTHERN UZBEKISTAN AND NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN.
U-N SPOKESWOMAN STEPHANIE BUNKER SAID IT WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP
TOWARD THE RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL U-N STAFF.
THE ROAD FROM UZBEKISTAN TO AFGHANISTAN, HOWEVER, REMAINS CLOSED.
THE UZBEK GOVERNMENT SHUT THE ROAD IN MAY 1997, AFTER THE FIRST
ROUND OF FIGHTING IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN. THE CLOSURE BLOCKED A
VITAL TRADE AND AID ROUTE.
THE RETURN OF THE UNITED NATIONS TO NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN
AIDED BY A THAWING IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TALEBAN, WHICH
CONTROLS 90-PER CENT OF AFGHANISTAN, AND THE UZBEK GOVERNMENT. IN
EARLY JUNE, THE UZBEK FOREIGN MINISTER HELD A LANDMARK MEETING IN
AFGHANISTAN WITH THE TALEBAN LEADER.
IN THE PAST, UZBEKISTAN HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE OPPOSITION
ALLIANCE THAT IS FIGHTING THE TALEBAN. TASHKENT HAS NOW PUBLICLY
ADOPTED A MORE NEUTRAL ROLE AND THIS WEEK HOSTED U-N-SPONSORED
PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/KL
22-Jul-99 10:03 AM EDT (1403 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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