PAKISTAN AND IRAN CAN’T JOIN PEACE FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN: U.N.
ISLAMABAD 16 Nov. (IPS) As American bombers continued to pound the Taleban stronghold of Qandahar Friday, hitting the movement's foreign ministry building and a mosque, Francesc Vendrell, United Nation’s Deputy Special Representative said that Pakistan and Iran do not qualify to the multilateral force the Organsation is aiming to send in Afghanistan.
Answering to a question at a press briefing, he said Pakistan, Iran, Russia and India couldn’t join the military force as they have interests in Afghanistan.
"I do not think the Security Council and the secretary general would find it acceptable for them to be in the force, that must be formed of countries without immediate interest in Afghanistan", he said.
As for the former Afghan Monarch Mohammad Zaher Shah, he said both he and the United Nations are convinced that he has a role to play in the future of Afghanistan.
But analysts said time appeared to be running out for the possible return of the 87 years-old King to his country as the figurehead of a transitional government.
The former king has, however, agreed to send a delegation to a meeting of Afghan groups that would start forming a provisional government for the country, but aides said the time and venue remained to be decided.
"Every day the Northern Alliance consolidated power in conquered cities dimmed the likelihood of the king making a comeback", analysts said.
About the return of ousted Borhaneddin Rabbani of the Northern Alliance as the new president in Kabul, Mr.Vendrell said laconically: "If he does return, of course, he has the right to call himself the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan", the one that was booted out of Kabol in 1996 by the Taleban
However, he clarified that this is "not the same as president of Afghanistan". "This is the way he has styled himself, and that he has been officially known for many years. The title he chooses to take, it is up to him, but it is for the international community to recognise any new government in Afghanistan", the UN diplomat noted.
"We are not trying to decide who is the legitimate government of Afghanistan, or who is illegitimate. What we are trying to achieve is to help the Afghans set up a transitional body with broad representation".
He said the UN is trying to help the Afghan people start some kind of interim administration that would eventually lead to a provisional government, and down the road to elections.
To another question, Mr. Vendrell, who left for Kabol to meet representatives of various Afghan groups there, said humanitarian and political presence in Kabol "have nothing to do with recognition of the United Front".
"Of course, the United Front is recognised by the UN as the government of Afghanistan. It has international recognition, but this does not necessarily mean, and indeed we have made it very clear, that the legitimisation of any authority in Afghanistan is in the hands of the Afghan people, and for that to occur, this needs to be done through an internationally acceptable process, such as elections or a very carefully convened Loya Jirga", he explained.
In Afghanistan itself, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press reported that 11 civilians were killed in Friday's raids over Qandahar.
As about 100 UK troops arrived at Bagram airbase near the Capital, to prepare for humanitarian operations, 60 French troops left their base at Istres, in Southern France for northern city of Mazar Sharif, via Uzbekistan on Friday, from where they will help reopening the city’s airport and provide security for humanitarian aid effort.
The Afghan Ambassador in Doshanbeh and Afghan sources in Iran had reported earlier the fall of Qandahar to the Alliance forces, but BBC quoted Friday a Taleban spokesman saying the forces in the city were building new defensive positions, heeding an order from their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar to stay and fight.
Correspondents say there could be trouble as troops from other factions arrive in Kabul to stake a claim in any power-sharing arrangements.
Warring factions ripped the city apart ten years ago, after the Communist government was toppled.
Meanwhile, and as Tehran Radio said Mr. Osama Ben Laden, the man suspected by the American to be behind the 11 September attacks on the United States had fled to Pakistan, US officials say the Northern Alliance forces in Kabol have captured some senior leaders of both the fleeing Taleban and Mr. Ben Laden’s organisation Al-Qa’eda", not include Mr. Ben Laden or the Taleban’s supreme leader, Mollah Mohammad Omar. ENDS AFQANESTAN BOMBINGS 161101