Bush administration meets with Taliban opposition, ex-king
( 2001-09-27 11:37 ) (7 )

The Bush administration is widening its contacts with opposition groups in Afghanistan to pressure the ruling Taliban to surrender Osama bin Laden and force the breakup of his terror network.

The administration also thanked Russia for supporting the US campaign against terrorism. President George W Bush endorsed Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertion that rebels in Chechnya are affiliated with bin Laden's organization, known as al-Qaida. "We do believe there's some al-Qaida folks in Chechnya," Bush said on Wednesday.

The White House said Chechen leaders should cut all contacts with terrorist groups. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer denied any link between Bush's statement and Russia's support, which includes an offer to arm Afghan anti-Taliban forces. Fleischer repeated long-standing US calls for a political settlement to the fighting in Chechnya.

At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher was asked about possible US contacts with Afghanistan's northern alliance opposition, the only identifiable US friend in Afghan politics.

"We keep in touch with a variety of people and factions," he said.

The group's military leader, Ahmed Shah Massood, was assassinated last month, but the alliance has stepped up its offensive against the Taliban, the rigidly Islamic militia that gives sanctuary to bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorist network's headquarters.

An American diplomat, William Pope, also met on Tuesday in Rome with former Afghan king Mohammed Zahir Shah. Dethroned in 1973, the 86-year-old king still has a following among southern Afghan tribesmen.

The Taliban movement itself is divided, with reports that many of its commanders are at odds with the top leaders.

Asked if the administration was encouraging the divisions, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday, "You can be sure we are thinking of all the ways to make (the Taliban) think properly."

However, Powell and other administration officials have stressed the United States does not seek to overthrow the Taliban government but only to force it to expel bin Laden and dismantle al-Qaida bases.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher met on Wednesday with Powell and then Bush. He echoed Russia's call for an international conference to consider any long-term campaign against terrorism. But he added that a conference "is not a substitute for punishing these culprits."

Powell also met with Foreign Minister of Ireland Brian Cowen and said he thanked the Irish government for authorizing use of its airspace of Ireland in the campaign against bin Laden.

Ireland assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council on Monday.

Boucher said the administration might seek a resolution in the United Nations to freeze the accounts of terror groups and their supporters. This would strengthen the moves taken by Bush to have accounts frozen in the United States and overseas.

Bush has warned that the United States might retaliate against banks that refuse to comply by freezing their assets in the United States.

On another front, Iran, the administration appeared to be stymied.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Muslim country's supreme leader, ruled out help in any US-led attack on neighboring Afghanistan. He said the United States was not competent to lead a global campaign and called US behavior "disgusting."

Iran is at odds with the Taliban, and Boucher did not rule out some measure of support. He said Powell had not received a report from the British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, on just-completed talks in Tehran.

Iran is one of seven countries listed by the State Department as a supporter of international terrorism. Two others, Sudan and Syria, are credited by Powell with providing some cooperation.