PRESS CONFERENCE BY AFGHANISTAN

1 October 1996

Press Briefing

19961001 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

At a Headquarters press conference yesterday afternoon, Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan presented to correspondents the text of a Declaration of his country's Supreme Council, issued on 27 September regarding the escalating crisis there.

In the Declaration, he said, the Supreme Council condemned the acts of the "puppet" Taliban in its military take-over of Kabul. "The Taliban along with their sponsors are manifesting a new meaning to terrorism", the Council declared. The ramifications would affect borders beyond Afghanistan, it added.

The Council also reiterated its support for the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan, as recommended by resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, he said. That solution should be based on intra-Afghan dialogue and understanding, and supervised by the United Nations in cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Conference, so that a transitional Government acceptable to all sides could be formed.

Mr. Ghafoorzai stated that his Government would continue to support efforts to promote inter-Afghan dialogue among all parties leading to the formation of a national Government of unity. It would continue to function as the Government of Afghanistan outside Kabul. It would also continue to represent the Government in foreign countries and international organizations.

The Vice-Minister said he would request a meeting with the Secretary-General or with the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Marrack Goulding, and would submit his Government's call for a fact-finding mission to assess the level and extent of cross-border interventions in Afghanistan. His Government was willing and ready to provide evidence of involvement of Pakistan in the fighting.

"Are you prepared to talk to Taliban if they are prepared to talk to you?" a correspondent asked.

Mr. Ghafoorzai said his Government had not rejected any initiative by the international community, which would allow all sides in the conflict to get together and try to resolve the conflict through a negotiated political settlement, which would include the Taliban.

Asked whether talks between his Government and the forces of General Dostam were continuing, he said there had been high-level talks between the Government and General Abdul Rashid Dostam, and he was waiting for a final response. There were indications that the Taliban might attempt to get into Salang Valley. If that were attempted, "Salang Valley would turn into Taliban's quagmire", he added.

In answer to another question, Mr. Ghafoorzai said that although his Government had been forced to temporarily relocate to Taloqan, it was functioning. Its military forces were under the command of Commander-in-Chief Ahmad Shah Masood in the Panjshir Valley.

Regarding developments in the north of the country, he said some 50,000 people had gathered in the city of Taloqan, where the Government had relocated after the occupation of Kabul. They had been addressed by President Burhanuddin Rabbani and had expressed their support for his Government. Other meetings elsewhere, organized by General Dostam, had expressed support for the Government, should forces of the Taliban attempt to enter areas under his control.

He also said that because the Taliban had requested that General Dostam vacate the Salang Valley, he had coordinated with Government forces to prepare, should the Taliban attempt to enter there.

What was the extent of Government forces in the southern part of the Salang Valley? a correspondent asked. The combined forces of the Government and General Dostam were more than 25,000, he said.

Asked whether any Governments aside from Pakistan had recognized the Taliban, he said he did not believe that even Pakistan had recognized it. A spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry had issued a statement urging the Taliban to agree to the formation of a Government of national unity, in which all would be represented, including the Government of President Rabbani.

Asked whether it was not the inability of the Rabbani Government to form a Government of national unity that had led to the present crisis, Mr. Ghafoorzai said the cause of the problem lay elsewhere. Groups had rejected attempts to establish a mechanism for the transfer of power to a national unity government. Those who had rejected any meaningful proposal for ending the crisis should be held responsible, he said. The present vacuum of power could have disastrous consequences.

A correspondent asked what was the status of the Government he represented. He said the Government continued to support a negotiated settlement based on intra-Afghan dialogue. The United Nations had the capability of mediating among all sides. The United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan must be reactivated and must try to bring the blueprint for achieving agreement on transfer of power to a Government of national unity. He added that far from resolving the crisis, the current situation simply

Afghanistan Press Conference - 3 - 1 October 1996

perpetuated it. "Even the temporary success of the Taliban in occupying Kabul should not be interpreted as meaning that they have a capability of establishing a Government acceptable to all sides in the conflict."

With whom had Mr. Ghafoorzai spoken regarding the Supreme Council's call for a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan to investigate evidence of Pakistan's backing for the forces of Taliban? a correspondent asked. Mr. Ghafoorzai said the idea had been issued by the Supreme Council. He intended to meet with the Secretary-General or Mr. Goulding to submit that request. He had also raised the issue at last week's meeting of the Security Council.

When forces of the Rabbani Government had withdrawn from Kabul, had they attempted to bring former President Najibullah to safety? a correspondent asked. He said the security forces, aware of the lack of security at the United Nations compound in Kabul, had asked Mr. Najibullah's views at that time. He added that only at that time Mr. Najibullah had requested additional security officers.

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