Afghan Group Opposes US Gov't Plan
By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS - Afghanistan's opposition told the United States Thursday that it vehemently opposes Secretary of State Colin Powell's plan to include moderate Taliban representatives in a future Afghan government.
The Taliban should be tried in court - not allowed to govern, said Ravan Farhadi, Afghanistan's U.N. ambassador who represents the former Afghan government.
Farhadi stated the opposition's position in a note to Richard N. Haass, the State Department's director of policy planning who is Powell's coordinator for Afghanistan.
"The Taliban have given not only shelter to (Osama) bin Laden but they facilitated his international terroristic acts," Farhadi told reporters after handing the note to Haass in a U.N. corridor. "We don't agree with Mr. Powell because we think that the Taliban leaders ... need to be (on) trial in a court."
The "position paper" Farhadi handed Haass accuses the Taliban of committing "genocide and crimes against humanity" in relation to the Afghan people, and of providing training centers and safe haven for terrorists.
"In no way they could be considered as eligible for the future political set up of a democratic Afghanistan," the one-page statement concluded.
Farhadi represents the ousted Afghan government led by Burhanuddin Rabbani, which is still recognized by the United Nations. It is part of the northern-based opposition alliance fighting the Taliban, which currently controls less than 10 percent of the country.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the opposition statement "all spin and no substance."
During a visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, Powell said the more moderate officials from the radical Taliban regime should be allowed to serve in a post-Taliban government "where the rights of all are respected."
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who leads the only country that still recognizes the Taliban, agreed that a future Afghan government could include "moderate Taliban leaders."
The U.S. administration hopes the Taliban, if they fall, will be replaced by a coalition built, perhaps, around the 87-year-old former King Mohammad Zaher Shah, who was overthrown in 1973.
But Farhadi warned that including the Taliban could derail efforts to form a broad-based democratic government representing all ethnic minorities.
Farhadi said the opposition United Front hopes a "loya jirga," or grand assembly representing all ethnic groups, can meet _ perhaps in March _ to adopt a new constitution.
Haass said "it's too early for people to be presenting plans" about Afghanistan's future.
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