U.S. rules out place for Taliban

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, NOV. 20. Even as the Taliban claimed that it was in control of Kandahar province in Afghanistan and was not willing to negotiate any deal with the United Nations, the U.S.-led coalition today categorically ruled out the participation of the Taliban in the interim broad-based Government being formed under the aegis of the U.N.

Almost seven weeks after launching the military offensive the U.S. alliance decided to brief the press about the developments. A senior diplomat, Mr. Kenton Keith, who would act as the chief spokesman of the alliance, asserted that representatives of the Taliban would not be invited to the meeting being convened by the United Nations later this week. The conference of `eminent Afghans' under the aegis of the U.N., expected on November 24 in Berlin, is seen as a first step towards establishment of a `broad-based and multi-ethnic' government in Kabul.

The ``Taliban must cease to exist as a force'', was the assertion of Mr. Keith in response to a question. He said there were no proposals to invite moderate Taliban forces to take part in the meetings being planned by the U.N.

He also defended the efforts of various countries, including India, Britain and France to open diplomatic missions in Kabul. Asked how could the foreign countries open their missions in Kabul in the absence any Government recognised under the U.N. resolutions, he said the move would help the massive relief operations required.

The coalition spokesman said Taliban forces, including the foreign fighters holed up in the besieged Afghan town of Kunduz should surrender to the Northern Alliance troops. He said the only option left is to negotiate their surrender with the `people on the ground'.

According to estimates around 12,000 Taliban fighters were held up in Kunduz. This included over 3,000 fighters of foreign origin. Replying to questions on the allegations of human rights violations by the Northern Alliance forces, he said so far the opposition forces had behaved with restraint. The coalition forces made efforts to convince the Northern Alliance commanders to give proper treatment to captured Taliban troops.

``They know our concerns'' he said adding the opposition troops behaved with restraint after the fall of the Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul. ``On the face of it there is a possibility that the same thing will happen in Kunduz'', he said.

The Northern Alliance troops have agreed to permit the forces of the coalition to take part in the relief operations. However the issue of formation of a peacekeeping force, or a multi-national force was yet to be discussed by the U.N. Mr. Keith said the coalition forces believed that both Osama bin Laden and the Taliban chief, Mullah Omar were still hiding in Afghanistan. Osama was believed to be hiding in the areas controlled by the Taliban forces.

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Section  : International
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