From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Fri Oct 13 2000 - 11:02:46 EDT
Tajik foreign minister, Iranian deputy foreign minister discuss Afghan
problem
Text of report by the Tajik news agency Khovar on 12th October
Today, 12th October, Tajik Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov received the
Iranian deputy foreign minister [for education and research], Mr Sadeq
Kharrazi.
During the meeting, which was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding
and constructiveness, they thoroughly discussed the state of and prospects
for developing bilateral cooperation. The sides stressed that Tajikistan
and Iran had considerable potential to expand economic cooperation and
develop relations in the fields of science, culture, education and
publishing. Another central issue was regional security in connection with
the escalation of military actions in neighbouring Afghanistan. It was
noted that further exacerbation of the military and political situation in
Afghanistan might bring this country to a humanitarian catastrophe and
increase the influx of refugees into neighbouring countries. All this
cannot but cause concern both in Iran and Tajikistan.
It was said that under no circumstances could the Afghan issue be solved by
means of force and peace could be achieved only through negotiations and
setting up a coalition government which would take into account interests
of all the strata of the Afghan population.
The sides called on the world community to provide emergency humanitarian
aid to the Afghans suffering as a result of the continuing military and
political confrontation in the north of the country.
A deputy of Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mr Asghar Sherdust, and
the Iranian ambassador [to Tajikistan], Seyyed Rasul Musavi, were present
at the meeting.
Source: Khovar news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0955 gmt 12 Oct 00
BBC Mon CAU 121000/** bb/sk
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