DATE=5/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=AFGHANISTAN / RUSSIA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262880
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Afghanistan's dominant Taleban movement says
neighboring Uzbekistan will pay a heavy price if
Russia carries out threats to attack the country.
Moscow accuses the Taleban of training forces to fight
Russian troops in Chechnya, and has warned it might
launch air strikes against suspected terrorist
training camps in Taleban-held territory. From
Islamabad, Ayaz Gul reports.
TEXT: In a statement carried by the Afghan Islamic
Press, Taleban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar says
Uzbekistan will face "serious consequences" if any
Russian military action takes place against the
territory the movement controls.
Top Russian officials have warned of pre-emptive
strikes against bases in Afghanistan, where Moscow
alleges guerrillas are being trained to assist Islamic
rebels in Chechnya.
The Taleban leader once again rejected the Russian
allegations as baseless. He says there are no
terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, and that the
Taleban is not providing weapons or fighters to
Chechen guerillas. Mr. Omar says the responsibility
for a Russian attack will be entirely on neighboring
Uzbekistan. Taleban officials say Russia cannot
attack Afghanistan without using Uzbek air bases.
Moscow has vowed to protect its Central Asian allies -
- Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. These former Soviet
republics remain vulnerable to local Islamic groups
that allegedly have links with the Taleban movement.
About 90 percent of Afghanistan is controlled by the
Taleban movement. The rest is held by the northern-
based opposition alliance, which the Taleban accuses
of getting military help from Iran, Russia and Central
Asian republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The
opposition groups in turn blame neighboring Pakistan
for providing military assistance to the hard-line
Taleban movement.
Pakistan is one of only three countries, including
Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, that recognize
the Taleban rule in the country.
On Thursday, Pakistan's military leader, General
Pervez Musharrraf, said his country has "a security
interest" in Afghanistan, and that any Russian attacks
there could help the opposition in its fight against
the Taleban.
/// Musharraf Act ///
This will escalate the situation. It can have
very, very far-reaching consequences in the
other Central Asian republics, which if ... they
allow bases to the Russians to attack the
Taleban, it will have very, very serious
repercussions.
/// End Act ///
Meanwhile, the human rights group, Amnesty
International, expressed concern Saturday that
Russia's threat could lead to further escalation of
conflict in Afghanistan. The group says Russian
warnings of an attack bring back memories of "massive
human rights violations" during the decade-long Soviet
occupation of Afghanistan that ended in 1989.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AG/JP
27-May-2000 10:15 AM EDT (27-May-2000 1415 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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