| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan |
| Blair in Pakistan |
| 2001-10-05 |
The Taliban's ambassador to Pakistan said British Prime Minister Tony Blair came here Friday "to encourage war" and that the Afghan leadership had nothing to say to him. Blair arrived Friday for a show of solidarity with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. "Tony Blair has come to encourage war," Ambassador AbdulSalam Zaeef said. "We have no message for him. Had he come for negotiations and talks, then we would have liked to have said something." Zaeef praised Iran for refusing to allow the United States and its allies use of its airspace in any attack on Afghanistan. However, Zaeef would not condemn Pakistan for its stand. "We understand the problems of Pakistan but we have no comments to make," he said, referring to Musharraf's policy. Pakistan is the only country to recognize the Taliban as the legal government of Afghanistan. President Bush has threatened to target Taliban facilities in Afghanistan because the Islamic militia refuses to hand over bin Laden and his lieutenants. Bin Laden is the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington. "The issue is not Osama," Zaeef said. "The issue is Islam. Osama is a Muslim, he is a citizen of a Muslim country. We cannot hand him over to the United States. We are ready to try him before an Islamic court or under Islamic law. If we send him to the United States, there will be no justice." Zaeef said the current crisis was really a battle between Islam and America, and "we want other Muslims to join us if America attacks." "But we see no reason for war," he said, adding that "the problem should be solved through negotiations" involving the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Blair later flew to New Delhi on Friday, continuing his efforts to solidify backing for the campaign against bin Laden. He will meet Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday to discuss international cooperation to combat terrorism and regional developments, India's Foreign Affairs Ministry said. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |