BRAHIMI TO MEET KHATAMI BEFORE ENDING HIS LOW PROFILE TRIP TO IRAN
TEHRAN 5 Nov. (IPS) UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi in Tehran on Monday continued intensive consultations with a third day of meetings with various individuals and groups, mostly Afghanis, Spokesman Eric Falt said.
Brahimi told Iranian public media that one of the problems that the Afghans have been suffering from is foreign interference, with countries deciding what should take place and what should not take place, making an indirect reference to both Iran and Pakistan, the two main rival players in Afghan tragedy.
"I hope that in future, we will help Afghans but make sure that it is their will that is translated into reality", he said.
He also met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and his deputy for Asian and Oceania affairs, Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, discussin g ways and means to form a broad-based government after the Taleban are toppled in Kabol.
Asked about the possibility of return of former King Zaher Shah, the special representative said he think this subject should be left to Afghans to decide who does what and who takes what position in the future government".
He is expected to see President Mohammad Khatami on Tuesday, but no meeting with Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati and Mr. Ala’eddin Boroojerdi, respectively the leader’s special adviser on foreign affairs and on Afghanistan, have been announced, despite the fact that Iranian policies towards the complex Afghan issue is decided at the leader’s office, not the Foreign Ministry.
Iran is not happy with efforts by the United Nations, the United States and European Union to use the former Monarch for reuniting various Afghan forces in a Loya Jirga to decide on the future of the country, fearing that this might encourage Iranian monarchists, overthrown by the Islamic revolution of 1979.
According to UN Information Center (UNIC), Brahimi also met representatives from various Afghan organisations in Iran, telling them that their nation was experiencing the most critical period in its history and it will determine the future of our country".
The UN Eenvoy for Afghanistan expressed UN readiness to help Afghans, but also reminded the representatives, including students, that only an Afghan solution will work.
Brahimi is expected to meet President Mohammad Khatami tomorrow and then address a press conference at Azadi Hotel. The UN special representative is scheduled to report to the UN General Assembly special meeting on Afghanistan in New York on November 12.
Brahimi had arrived in Tehran Saturday coming from Pakistan, where he had held extensive talks with the Pakistan President Parviz Mosharraf and his Foreign Minister, Abdol Sattar, for talks on the crisis in Afghanistan.
This is his Mr. Brahimi’s first visit since he had been re-appointed at this job, which he had quit last year, dismayed at his impotency in brining various warring Afghan factions backed by either Iran or Pakistan together.
Iran, which does not recognise Afghanistan's ruling Taleban militia, but rather the government of deposed president Borhaneddin Rabbani, has condemned the 11 September terrorist operations against the United States, but at the same time, ordered by its leader, ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, has refused to join the US military operations in the war-devastated Afghanistan as a "human catastrophe". ENDS BRAHIMI TEHRAN 51101