Leaders of the four Afghan groups, but mostly the two smaller ones, the "Cyprus Group" and the "Peshawar Group" backed respectively by Iran and Pakistan, sat down with the U.N.'s Special Envoy on Afghanistan, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, on Friday morning and would meet with him again in the evening "to try to formalise some of these agreements in principle, including the question of security in the capital Kabol".

"Yes, we are working and they need a few minutes after midnight tomorrow, then we're flexible. There is no reason we cannot stay until Sunday if necessary", he told journalists during his daily briefing.

Fawzi, an Egyptian diplomat, said the discussions between group leaders and Brahimi "so far have focused mostly on the formation of the interim authority", and had touched on the issue of security in the war-shattered nation.

"Talks were getting down to the "nitty gritty" as the Northern Alliance delegation waited for alliance leaders in Kabul to approve the list of names they will put forward for a transitional supreme national council to run the country", Mr. Fawzi further said.

Fawzi said the United Nations was "sorry to see him go, and hope he will play a role in some future administration of Afghanistan. But the show must go on", he said, adding that he did not know if Qadir's name was on the lists of proposed council or government members.

"Qadir said he had no difference with any group, but was not satisfied with the representation allocated to the Poshtoons", said Mr. Homayoon Jarir, the head of the "Cyprus Group".

speaking at the briefing centre, he quoted the former Governor of Nangrahar province as saying that the groups had entered any agreement on an agenda with the United Nations.

On Wednesday, sources said representatives of the Northern Alliance and former Afghan king Mohammad Zaher Shah had agreed "in principle" that a transitional supreme council should be created to run the country.

But the delegates were still negotiating details of how that council would work. That council could have from 120 to 200 members, the sources said.

They said two commissions were established within the conference to draw up lists of who should be on the council, and they hope to have those lists complete by end of the conference. The council would then pick Afghanistan's interim government.

Before the briefing, the Paris-based press watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) held a press conference to denounce the worsening situation in Afghanistan as far as journalists are concerned.

He also complained that officials from Northern Alliance are created increasing difficulties for journalists covering the war in Afghanistan. ENDS AFQAN BONN TALKS 301101