DATE=10/29/1999
TYPE=EDITORIAL
TITLE=EDITORIAL: AFGHAN TALEBAN - TIME RUNNING OUT
NUMBER=0-08505
CONTENT=
THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING
RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 10/29/99.
Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing
points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next,
an editorial expressing the policies of the United
States Government:
Voice: Time is running out for the Afghan
Taleban. If they fail to expel international
terrorist Usama bin Laden from Afghanistan by
November 14th, United Nations sanctions will take
effect. The U-N Security Council unanimously
approved the sanctions on October 15th. They call
for freezing the Taleban's foreign assets and
banning flights by planes owned, leased, or
operated by the Taleban. Exceptions would be
allowed for humanitarian purposes, or to allow
Afghans to perform the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
Despite his long record of involvement in
international terrorism, Usama bin Laden has
enjoyed safe haven in Afghanistan since 1996. The
Taleban, who control most of Afghanistan, have so
far refused to expel him to a country where he can
be brought to justice. And this even after bin
Laden's indictment for masterminding the August
1998 bombings of United States embassies in Kenya
and Tanzania. These terrorist attacks claimed the
lives of about three-hundred people.
In addition to the embassy bombings, bin Laden and
his Al-Qaida terrorist group have been involved in
other terrorist attacks. And there is evidence
that they have been planning new attacks. Yet the
Taleban continue to allow bin Laden and Al-Qaida
to use Afghan territory as a base of operations.
For this reason, the U.S. recently expanded its
own sanctions on the Taleban to include Ariana
Afghan Airlines. Americans are not allowed to do
business with the Taleban-controlled airline, and
its assets in the U.S. have been frozen.
As U.S. officials have made clear in talks with
the Taleban, Usama bin Laden and his activities
are an international threat. If the Taleban hope
for any kind of good international standing, they
need to expel Usama bin Laden to a country where
he can be brought to justice.
Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the
policies of the United States Government. If you
have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A,
Washington, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. You may also
comment at www-dot-voa-dot-gov-slash-editorials,
or fax us at (202) 619-1043.
28-Oct-1999 13:35 PM EDT (28-Oct-1999 1735 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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