Extracts.
Iran Slashes Continued U.S. Bombing of Afghanistan.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi on Sunday strongly
condemned the U.S. for continued bombing on Afghanistan which claims
civilian lives every day, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi on Sunday strongly
condemned the U.S. for continued bombing on Afghanistan which claims
civilian lives every day, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Commenting on the U.S. targeting the residential areas, the spokesman said
that "continued air raids and repeated targeting of civilians in Afghanistan
show that the U.S. ignores the Afghans' right to live and does not
differentiate between the military and civilian targets."
"The casualties the U.S. air raids claim in Afghanistan every day justify
Iran's concern about continued presence of foreign forces in the country,"
Asefi said.
The spokesman noted that the Afghan people have expressed their resolve to
establish peace, security and stability in their own country.
Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai was sworn in Saturday with a pledge to
guarantee peace and better life for the war-weary Afghan people.
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi who attended the swearing-in ceremony
said in Kabul that Iran will help restore peace, security and reconstruction
of its neighbor in the same way it has extended humanitarian aids to the
Afghan people over the past 23 years.
Afghan's New Leader Karzai Meets Chinese Representative.
Chairman of the Afghan interim government Hamid Karzai Sunday met Zhang Min,
chief of the working team of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Afghanistan.
Zhang congratulated Karzai on his assumption of office and said China will
participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction, adding China will give
Afghanistan 30 million RMB (3.6 million U.S. dollars) in emergency aid.
Karzai Meets Chinese Representative
Chairman of the Afghan interim government Hamid Karzai Sunday met Zhang Min,
chief of the working team of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Zhang congratulated Karzai on his assumption of office
and said China will participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction, adding
China will give Afghanistan 30 million RMB (3.6 million U.S. dollars) in
emergency aid.
Karzai, who was inaugurated as the leader of Afghanistan Friday, thanked
Zhang for the assistance and spoke highly of the friendship between
Afghanistan and China.
"China is a great friend and neighbor of Afghanistan," said Karzai, adding
his new government wants to keep the friendship with China.
The leader asked China to resume its embassy operation as soon as possible.
When learning China's embassy has no supply of electricity and water, Karzai
asked the corresponding ministries to give support immediately.
Zhang, who arrived in Kabul last Wednesday, attended Karzai's inauguration
Friday and conveyed him a congratulatory message from Chinese Premier Zhu
Rongji
Former Taliban Ambassador Seeks Asylum in Pakistan.
Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, said Sunday that he
has applied for asylum out of fear of persecution in Afghanistan.
Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, said Sunday that he
has applied for asylum out of fear of persecution in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has not yet responded to the application, submitted two weeks ago,
Zaeef told The Associated Press.
"I'll go back to Afghanistan when the situation improves, but it is
dangerous from me to go there now," he said.
No immediate comment was available from Pakistan, which has said it provided
a reasonable time for Zaeef and his staff to pack up and leave.
>From Islamabad, Zaeef fought the Taliban's media war against the U.S.-led
coalition until Pakistan ordered him not to use its soil against a third
country.
Pakistan shut the Taliban embassy in November after the repressive militia
was routed by the U.S.-led coalition and anti-Taliban Afghan forces.
Pakistan, once a close ally of the Taliban, deserted them after they refused
to turn over Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect of September's terrorist
attacks in the United States.
Pakistan has recognized the new interim Afghan government and is trying to
improve relations with its neighbor.
Pakistan Condemns India Over Illegal Diplomat Detention.
Pakistani government Sunday vehemently condemned the illegal detention and
torture of Mohammad Sharif Khan, a staff member of the High Commission of
Pakistan in New Delhi by the Indian intelligence operatives on December 22,
and asked for a thorough investigation of the "provocative" incident.
Pakistani government Sunday vehemently condemned the illegal detention and
torture of Mohammad Sharif Khan, a staff member of the High Commission of
Pakistan in New Delhi by the Indian intelligence operatives on December 22,
and asked for a thorough investigation of the "provocative" incident.
According to a statement iss
