"Zaher Shah has the capacity of attracting large parts of the Afghan civil society as well as the nation’s political forces, including those that had not collaborated with the anti-Taleban forces", Mr. Vendrell told Iran Press Service, stressing that the former King did not want to restore Monarchy in Afghanistan.

"Considering that during the years he ruled over Afghanistan, the country enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity rarely seen in this mountainous country, the King’s efforts to get Afghanistan out of the present mess are far more appealing than other choices", Mr. Vendrell pointed out.

He said since Zaher Sah had made it clear that he did not intend to rule, therefore, Afghanistan’s neighbouring nations could well accept his presence in Kabol.

"Zaher Shah can even bring to the anti-Taleban forces of Northern Alliance that dot not want to obey the Taleban leader, Mollah Mohammad Omar", Mr. Vendrell pointed out.

Asked about the role of Pakistan in fighting terrorism, the UN’s Special Envoy said Pakistan would play an instrumental role in the region’s politics and described as "important" the fact that Islamabad has agreed to co-operate with the United States combating terrorism.

However, he warned, the future regime of Afghanistan must be decided by the Afghan people without any interference from outside.

In his view, the recent upheavals opened a window of hope for Afghan people, an occasion that the Afghans must grab in order to end, maybe once for all, to 22 years of wars and destructions, otherwise, Afghanistan might well fall from a hole into a deep well".

In another development, Mohammad Zaher Shah said he might not oppose positioning of foreign forces in his war-torn nation provided it is temporary and aimed at restoring peace to Afghanistan.

The 86 years old who lives near Rome was speaking to the BBC after meeting with Mr. William Pope, the US Charge d’affaires in Italy and a delegation of British parliamentarians, assessing with them the situation in Afghanistan.

As he was busy receiving dignitaries from Europe and his native Afghanistan, the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance reported new victories over the ruling Taleban, whose moral was reported by international press to be "at the lowest".

Both the Uzbek General Rashid Dostom and General Esma’il Khan, the former Governor of Western province of Heart said they had inflicted heavy losses on the Taleban in various battle fronts.

"He (Zaher Shah) has a continuing interest in ending the bloodshed in his country so the charge of our embassy in Rome met with the King to discuss situation in Afghanistan", US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

He added that the meeting was one of many the US has been holding with Afghan opposition groups and individuals since the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September.

The former king told a visiting group of UK Tory members of the European Parliament that he would want to return to Afghanistan if he could be of use.

"I will serve in any capacity, either as head of state or as a mediator in the process towards democracy", he said speaking in Pashtu through an interpreter.

During his 40-year rule, King Zahir Shah, now 86, emerged as a cautious moderniser and reformer.

In 1964 he introduced a new constitution providing for an elected parliament, political parties and freedom for the press.