AFGHAN TALKS DELAYED

BONN 23 Nov. (IPS) The United Nations talks between Afghan groups scheduled for Monday 26 November in Bonn on the political future of Afghanistan has been delayed by one day, it was announced Friday.

"The talks between representatives of Afghanistan's major ethnic and political groups will now open next Tuesday", a senior UN diplomat announced.

"I don't think we should have too high expectations that they are going to meet and immediately agree to the kind of plan we have put forward in the Security Council" Mr. Francesc Vendrell, the deputy to UN’s Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said.

The UN says the delay is to allow participants enough time for preliminary discussions and to give people enough time to arrive.

Between 20 and 30 Afghan delegates are expected to attend the controversial discussions, intended to create an interim caretaker government acceptable to all Afghan warring factions, based on Mr. Brahimi’s tentative five-points plan.

Francesc Vendrell has warned against expecting too much from the conference, due to distrust between the rival participating groups, and disagreements within the groups themselves.

After talking to Northern Alliance leaders in Kabul, Mr Vendrell said the Hazaras were unhappy that the Tajik faction in the Northern Alliance was in control of Kabul, while the Pashtuns were pressing for a role in any future government.

Mr Vendrell also warned that an international force might be needed in Afghanistan. As well as distrust on the domestic scene, there are also "intrigues" from Iran and Pakistan, the two powerful neighbours that support opposing sides in the war-shattered Afghanistan.

Iran is adamantly against both the role the international community wants the former King Mohammad Zaher Shah to play during the interim period as well as the presence of foreign forces, mainly the Americans, in Afghanistan, while Pakistan, the former sponsor of the now defeated Taleban, is anxious that the Northern Alliance should not dominate a future administration in Kabul. ENDS AFQAN TALKS DELAYED 231101