DATE=5/1/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=PAK / AFGHAN / U-S TERRORISM (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261875
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan
have strongly denied State Department allegations
that their countries provide support to people
involved in international terrorism. From
Islamabad, Ayaz Gul reports.
TEXT: The Taleban foreign ministry on Monday
issued a statement urging the United States to
refrain from issuing what it calls unjust and
baseless charges. The Taleban statement went on
to say that terrorism is against Islam.
The State Department charges against the Taleban
and Pakistan were contained in a terrorism report
that the department released Monday. The
Taleban, which controls most of Afghanistan, says
the U-S allegations are based on one issue:
Afghanistan's refusal to hand over Osama bin
Laden, who lives in Afghanistan, to U-S
officials.
Washington wants the Saudi dissident to stand
trial for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings
of U-S embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
The Taleban says Mr. bin Laden is a guest in
Afghanistan and has turned down U-S demands to
expel him from the country, saying Washington has
provided no evidence of his involvement in
terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has also denied U-S
allegations that it is linked to terrorism and
has, as the report says, "tolerated terrorists
living and moving freely" within the territory of
Pakistan.
A foreign ministry statement, issued in
Islamabad, says Pakistan is "irrevocably opposed"
to terrorism in all its forms. It says Pakistan
has always cooperated with the international
community, including the United States, in
combating terrorism.
The statement also dismissed Washington's demands
that Islamabad use its influence to persuade the
Taleban in neighboring Afghanistan to hand over
Mr. bin Laden.
Pakistan says the United States should deal
directly with the Taleban to resolve the bin
Laden issue. (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/KL
01-May-2000 14:33 PM EDT (01-May-2000 1833 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
