Military

DATE=11/2/2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268756

TITLE=AFGHAN / U-S (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=AYAZ GUL

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S and Taleban officials have held talks in Pakistan amid unconfirmed local reports that the United States is preparing to carry out a military strike against Afghanistan. Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: A U-S embassy spokesman says Taleban ambassador, Abdul Salam Zaeif made a "courtesy call" on American ambassador William Milam in the Pakistani capital. The spokesman would not give details of the meeting.

Taleban Ambassador Zaeif told VOA the talks lasted two hours and

included the issue of Afghanistan's concerns about the possibility of a U-S strike against suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.

The Saudi-born Islamic militant is living in Afghanistan as a "guest" of the

ruling Taleban movement. Mr. bin Laden has been named as a possible suspect in last month's suicide attack on a U-S destroyer in Yemen that killed 17 people.

/// ZAEIF ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER ///

Mr. Zaeif says the American ambassador told him that so far, Washington has no concrete evidence linking Osama bin Laden to the bombing of the U-S navy ship.

The Taleban ambassador describes Thursday's talks with his U-S counterpart as fruitful. He says the talks also included the subject of illegal drugs and both sides agreed that such meetings should be held in future in order to resolve differences between the two countries.

The United States has accused Osama bin Laden of masterminding the 1998 bombings of two U-S embassies in east Africa that killed more than 200 people. In response to terror attacks, the United States launched cruise missiles at camps in Afghanistan it thought were run by the Saudi born suspect.

In the past week there have been persistent rumors in Pakistan that another U-S missile strike would be carried out, but there has been no indication from U-S officials that such an action is planned.

The United States has demanded that Taleban authorities in Afghanistan hand Mr. bin Laden over for trial in the Africa bombing cases. It has imposed aviation and financial sanctions on the Taleban for turning down U-S demands. (SIGNED)

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