AHMAD SHAH MAS’OUD OFFERS OLIVE BRANCH TO THE TALEBAN
DOSHANBEH 11 Apr. (IPS) Afghan Commander Ahmed Shah Mas’oud offered Tuesday an olive branch to the ruling Taleban by expressing readiness to "sit down and talk" to them to find a peaceful solution for the decades-long Afghan fratricide wars.
Speaking to reporters and some Afghan representatives in the Tajik Capital on his return home from Europe, Ahmad Shah said however the Taleban should agree to the organisation of "free and fair" elections with the participation of all Afghan people, including women, to decide on the future government of the nation.
Observers immediately said considering the staunch opposition by the ruling Taleban to any form of political freedom and activities by women, it is "very difficult" to see the Taleban accepting Mr. Mas’oud’s conditions.
Mr. Mas’oud visited France and Belgium, the next rotating President of the European Union, at the invitation of Madame Nicole Fontaine, the French Speaker of the European Parliament based in the French city of Strasbourg, near the German border.
In his meetings with senior French, Belgian, EU officials, including the French and Belgian Foreign Ministers, presidents of the France’s National assembly and Senate, the EU "Minister" for Security, Military and Foreign Affairs as well as leaders of the European Parliament fractions, Mr. Mas’oud passionately called on them to put maximum pressure on Pakistan to withdraw it’s vital assistance to the Taleban.
He told the world community that without the all out support Islamabad provides to the Taleban, they could not extend their control of the war-torn nation to more than ninety per cent of the Afghan territory.
As Mr. Mas’oud ended his European tour, the Taleban urged the European Union to remain neutral in the Afghan conflict and at the same time accused the European Parliament of "fanning" the war in the country by inviting Mr Mas’oud to Strasbourg last week.
At his Doshanbeh press conference, Mr. Mas’oud expressed satisfaction with his European visit, the first ever since he entered the fight against the Russian occupiers thirty years ago and stressed that the EU pledged political support for the anti-Taleban forces he leads.
Though controlling less than ten per cent of the country, yet the ousted government of former president Borhaneddin Rabbani of which Mr. Mas’oud is defence Minister is recognised as the official government of Afghanistan, Taleban being recognised by only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
"Despite our problems with Taleban, I’m ready to hold sit down and talk with them to find peaceful solutions to the conflict that is ruining our nation", Mr. Mas’oud said, stressing that an interim coalition government should be formed to pave the way for free general elections.
But at the same time he claimed that Taleban want to resolve the issue through military means.
As in his talks with European officials, Mr. Mas’oud repeated here that backed by Pakistan military, mercenaries of Osama Ben laden, the Saudi anti-western crusader and thousands of Arabs, the Taleban are preparing a major spring offensive against forces of the Northern Alliance.
He also revealed that members of the Uzbek Islamic movement have also joined forces of the Taleban, adding that he has several Pakistani soldiers and officers as well as Arabs and Uzbek fundamentalists in his jails.
Mr. Mas’oud said not only the Uzbek General Rashid Dostom, but also other war lords such as Commander Karim Khalili of the "Vahdat" and Commander Aref have recently returned to Afghanistan and joined the ranks of the Northern Alliance.
In another development, the Swiss government has announced new sanctions against the Taleban -- tightening visa restrictions and banning the shipment of a chemical compound used in the production of opium.
Correspondents say profits from opium are widely believed to finance Afghan weapons purchases. MASOUD RETURN 12401