Military

DATE=10/07/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH/AFGHANISTAN (L)

NUMBER=2-281462

BYLINE= PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE= WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The White House has rejected an offer by Afghanistan's Taleban regime to detain alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and try him under Islamic law. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports Bush administration officials say the Taleban must hand Osama bin Laden over to the United States.

TEXT: The White House moved quickly to reject the Taleban proposal.

When asked about the offer by reporters, Spokesman Ari Fleischer said simply: "what part of no negotiations don't they understand?"

Other officials repeated the four demands made by President Bush last month, just days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

/// OPT /// In a speech to Congress and the nation, Mr. Bush called on the Taleban to surrender Osama bin Laden and other members of his al-Qaida organization, close all terrorist training camps, open those camps to international inspection, and release detained aid workers. He stated firmly on that night that there would be no negotiations and no discussions. /// END OPT ///

Since then, the Taleban have made repeated offers to Washington. All have met with the same response -- a staunch U-S refusal to negotiate the fate of Osama bin Laden, the man President Bush says is the prime suspect in the September 11th attacks.

The latest offer from the Afghan regime differs slightly from those made in the past. The Taleban's ambassador to Pakistan said the Taleban were willing to try Osama bin Laden under Islamic law, if the United States makes a formal request. The ambassador said the Taleban want information to back up the U-S allegations, but he indicated the evidence could be presented in court.

President Bush was at Camp David -- his official retreat in the Maryland mountains -- when the ambassador made the offer. A short time later, the President went to a nearby town for a ceremony honoring American firefighters killed in the line of duty.

Mr. Bush made no direct reference to the Taleban or Osama bin Laden. But as he addressed the families of the fallen, he spoke of the sacrifice of the rescuers killed in the World Trade Center. Their names - - about three hundred in all - - will soon be inscribed on the National Firefighters Memorial.

/// BUSH ACT ///

They did not live to know who had caused the destruction or why. They only knew their duty - - and that was to go in, to follow the faintest cry, to search for the trapped and helpless and to save those who could be saved.

/// END ACT ///

The president delivered one of his strongest warnings to date to the Taleban on Saturday. In his weekly radio address, he told Afghanistan's rulers that "time is running out."

/// REST OPT ///

A top leader of the U-S Senate echoed the warning. Senate Republican leader Trent Lott told the "Fox News Sunday" program that he expects U-S action soon.

/// LOTT ACT ///

I don't think its going to be long. When the President of the United States says, "time is running out," you'd better listen to him.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Lott called the latest Taleban offer "totally unacceptable." He said President Bush has made it clear that the United States is prepared to take action. (signed)

NEB/PW/TW