Military

DATE=10/03/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-281300

TITLE= AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN (L)

BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Pakistani officials say they are studying evidence given to them by U.S. officials related to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. Meanwhile, U-N officials in Pakistan say food relief convoys have resumed regular service to Afghanistan. V-O-A's Jim Teeple reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: Pakistani officials confirmed on Wednesday that they have

received evidence from the United States linking alleged terrorist Osama

bin Laden and his al-Qaida organization with the terrorist attacks that

killed nearly six - thousand people last month. The disclosure

came one day after Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf held a

lengthy meeting with U-S Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin.

Officials from a number of key U-S allies such as France, have said they

believe the evidence backs up U-S claims that Osama bin Laden and his

al-Qaida network were behind the attacks. In Islamabad, Foreign

Ministry spokesman Riaz Mohammed Khan told reporters it is too early to

say if Pakistani officials are convinced that the evidence is

conclusive.

/// KHAN ACTUALITY ///

Until yesterday, we had not received anything. How do you expect us to

be convinced of anything if we were not given any particular material in

terms of evidence. And this is a statement of fact a statement of

fact. Now we have received some material and we are examining it. So

how do you want us to jump the gun, how do you want us to reach a

conclusion before we have seen anything.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Khan refused to confirm reports that British Prime Minister Tony

Blair will visit Islamabad in the next few days.

He also says Pakistan will continue with its close ties with the Taleban

but also seek national reconciliation in Afghanistan -- saying if a

delegation from exiled Afghan King Zahir Shah were to travel to

Islamabad -- such a move would be considered "a positive development."

Meanwhile U-N officials say relief convoys have arrived in Kabul with

more than two-thousand tons of food. The first relief shipments in

more than two weeks began late last week and U-N officials say their

fears of security problems have not come true. U-N officials say they plan

to try and begin deliveries of 55-thousand tons of food a month to

Afghanistan enough to feed six million people and prevent a massive

flow of refugees heading for Afghanistan's borders. (Signed)

NEB/JLT/RH