UN envoy calls on Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 30. The Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, today told the United Nations Secretary-General's special envoy on Afghanistan, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, that a `political process' for the installation of a broadbased government in Kabul should be initiated simultaneously with the military campaign.

Gen. Musharraf shared his assessment of the situation when Mr. Brahimi called on him as part of the process of consultations with the representatives of the Pakistan Government and the Afghan groups here on the future of Afghanistan.

Reiterating Pakistan's stand on the need to involve the `moderate elements within the Taliban' in any future set-up in Kabul, Gen. Musharraf said the unity and integrity of Afghanistan should be preserved.

``Care should be taken to ensure that the future

set-up in Afghanistan is (the result of) a homegrown process and not imposed from outside. And it should be followed by a major rehabilitation and reconstruction process,'' Gen. Musharraf told Mr. Brahimi.

On Monday, Mr. Brahimi called on the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, and held a preliminary round of discussions. He sought Pakistan's assessment of the latest developments in Afghanistan and wanted to know what efforts Islamabad was taking for the formation of a broadbased government in the post-Taliban scenario.

The envoy is expected to spend four days in Pakistan before proceeding to Tehran. He and his fellow negotiator, Mr. Frances Vendrell, plan to visit all the neighbours of Afghanistan, particularly Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Mr. Brahimi's visit comes at a time when the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan is leading nowhere, and the first concrete initiative by the Afghan tribal leaders at Peshawar to mobilise support in favour of the former Afghan King, Zahir Shah, failed to take off. Known for his independent views, Mr. Brahimi has openly criticised any attempt to impose a government in Afghanistan from outside.

Reports from New York suggest that Mr. Brahimi has conveyed his views to senior U.N. officials, who intend to issue a paper shortly ``to make sure everybody is talking about the same thing.''

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Section  : International
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