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Taliban ready to hold talks with opposition: Mulla Rabbani

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 2 (APP)-

Afghanistan's Taliban-led government on Feb. 1 agreed to Pakistan's proposal for resumption of talks with the Northern Opposition Alliance to amicably resolve the lingering crisis in war-ravaged country. "There was a proposal from Pakistani side for talks with the Northern Alliance (NA). We told them that we have always been willing to hold talks and we are ready to begin talks," Mullah Muhammad Rabbani, Chairman of Afghanistan's Council of Ministers said. Rabbani was addressing a press conference after meetings with President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar and Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf. Responding to a volley of questions on Osama bin Laden, Rabbani, who stands second in Taliban's hierarchy, said that the Arab multi-millionaire had been deprived of all communication facilities and, "he can't carry out any activity against any country." However, he said, Osama was not involved in the 1998 bombings of US Embassies in East Africa. "We have found that he was neither involved nor did he participate in the attacks on U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The Afghan leader said the Taliban government had given several proposals to the United States for the peaceful settlement of Osama issue.

"We asked them to provide evidence of Osama's involvement in terrorist activities to the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. Then we asked constitution of a tribunal comprising religious scholars from the three Islamic countries to try Osama. And lately, we suggested supervision of Osama's activities by the Organization of Islamic Conference." He regretted that the United States accepted none of these proposals. "Osama is our guest and will continue to enjoy this status. However, we have banned all of his activities after he was accused of involvement in terrorism." He stressed that the Osama bin Laden issue should be resolved through talks and, "not through other means." Rabbani said the Taliban government had asked the United States and other countries to give their own proposals for the amicable settlement of this issue. However, he said, they had failed to do so. Responding to a question, he confirmed that the Osama issue was also discussed during his talks with Pakistani authorities. He said Pakistan requested for the peaceful settlement of this issue. Rabbani said, "Afghanistan is an independent state." When asked about the killings of nine Iranian diplomats during seizure of northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif by the Taliban troops, the Afghan leader said the investigation into, "the unfortunate incident," was still in progress.

He said the perpetrators of that crime had not yet been identified. He assured that Taliban government would make the report of investigation public. He said the Taliban's relations with Iran had considerably improved. He cited the opening of Islam Qila border by Iran in western Afghanistan for transit trade, re-opening of Iranian consulate in Herat and recent visit of an Iranian delegation to Kabul. Earlier, in his opening statement, Mullah Rabbani said his visit to Pakistan was aimed at further cementing the bilateral relations between Islamabad and Kabul. Narrating the achievements of his two-day official visit, he said the Pakistani authorities had agreed to release all consignments of Afghan Transit Trade stranded at Karachi port, "without any charges." He said the two sides also agreed that there would be no restriction on the transit trade and both sides would work according to Afghan Transit Trade agreement. He said it was also agreed that Afghan refugees jailed in Pakistan on minor charges would be released. On the issue of terrorism, he said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan condemned all kinds of terrorism. "We would not allow anybody to carry out terrorism inside Afghanistan. We would also not permit anybody to use Afghan territory for terrorist activities against anybody or any other country." He said Islam abhorred terrorism and, "it is against human rights."