DATE=10/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N - TALEBAN SANCTIONS (L - ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255094
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council imposed
sanctions on Afghanistan's Taleban today (Friday) to
protest its alleged support of international
terrorism. Council members voted unanimously in favor
of a resolution containing the sanctions, as we hear
from our U-N correspondent Max Ruston.
TEXT: The resolution specifically calls on the
Taleban to surrender alleged terrorist Usama bin Laden
for trial on charges of plotting the bombing of U-S
embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. It also demands that
the Taleban stop providing sanctuary and training for
international terrorists and cooperate with efforts to
bring indicted terrorists to justice.
The sanctions will go into force on November 14th
unless the Taleban complies with the Council's
demands.
The sanctions include a ban on all flights by planes
owned or operated by the Taleban and the freezing of
Taleban bank accounts. Exceptions include flights
carried out for humanitarian or religious reasons.
Approval of the sanctions follows repeated Council
condemnation of the Taleban for human rights abuses,
support of terrorism and drug production and
trafficking. The Council has also denounced the
Taleban for threatening regional peace and stability
by using force rather than negotiation to resolve the
country's political divisions.
Despite the fact that the resolution containing the
sanctions was approved unanimously, several countries
expressed doubts about its potential effectiveness.
China says it does not support the use of sanctions in
general as a means of placing pressure on other
nations. Malaysia's U-N ambassador, Agam Hasmy, says
the sanctions could make life worse for ordinary
people in Afghanistan.
/// Hasmy act ///
My delegation has reservations on the use of
sanctions to effect the desired changes on the
targeted regime. Experience has shown that they
rarely work on the intended target or targets.
Instead they have brought unmitigated sufferings
on ordinary people.
/// end act ///
Other Council members say the sanctions were
specifically designed to avoid harming the people of
Afghanistan. U-S representative in the Security
Council session, Nancy Soderberg, says Washington will
ensure that the sanctions are implemented in a way
that does not hinder the provision of humanitarian
assistance to the Afghan people. She says the aim of
the sanctions is to send a clear message to Usama bin
Laden and other alleged terrorists: that they will be
brought to justice.
Taleban representatives in New York denounced the
sanctions as a violation of the U-N Charter. Afghan
Airlines also responded to the sanctions saying they
are unjustified and will harm more than 16-hundred
families employed by the airlines.
///opt/// The Taleban controls most of Afghanistan,
but most nations around the world do not recognize
it as the legitimate government. ///end opt// (Signed)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
15-Oct-1999 16:08 PM EDT (15-Oct-1999 2008 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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