The Byzantine Plot: by antagonizing the Taleban regime, EU officials are sowing the seeds of anti-EU terrorism... Exactly what the Euro-Russian task force needs most: a disgraceful terrorist campaign à la Moscow '99 (remember the appartment bombings?)
Rebel Masood could easily decoy some Taleban fellows into carrying out terrorist attacks in Europe, meanwhile, the Mossad's assets in the media would spin the Islamic bogey out of control....
Friday April 6, 7:56 PM
Afghan guerrilla to meet with EU security chief, aid official
BRUSSELS, April 6 (AFP) - Afghan opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masood, on a high-profile European tour, came to the European Commission Friday asking support in battling Afghanistan's hardline religious rulers.
He was to meet with Javier Solana, high representative for security and foreign policy, and a European Commission official responsible for humanitarian aid.
A commission spokesman said Masood was in Brussels primarily to seek humanitarian aid for the portion of Afghanistan his UN-recognised "Islamic State of Afghanistan" controls -- 50 percent according to him, 10 percent according to the ruling Taliban.
However, none of the top level commissioners -- President Romano Prodi, External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten and Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Poul Nielson, happened to be in town.
A spokesman said Masood would instead meet with the "highest ranking humanitarian aid officer available."
However, a commission source who asked not to be named offered another explanation for the coincidencal absences.
"We have many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) working every day in Afghanistan under extremely harsh and very volatile political conditions, and we do not wish to endanger these operations and we do not wish to endanger the security of those people," he said.
"We have already had previous occasions where certain regional commanders, in the Taliban context, took strange measures regarding these NGOs," he said, referring to instances of threats and intimidation.
"So that is the main reason why the commission does not want to take a high profile in this," adding that European politicians enjoyed political liberties not open to the commission.
He referred to a high profile visit by Masood to the European Parliament in Strasbourg Thursday, where he received a head-of-state welcome from Parliament President Nicole Fontaine, and an earlier reception in Paris by Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine.
"The commission has the responsibility to continue humanitarian aid to all of the Afghan population, so that is why it wishes to maintain a low political profile," said the source.
Europe's welcome to Masood was seen by analysts as a get-tough signal in Europe's diplomatic struggle with Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia.
At a press conference in parliament Thursday, Masood denied claims he received military assistance from neighboring Iran and Russia, but would not be drawn on whether he had come to Europe with a military shopping list, or whether he would accept military aid if offered.
"Whatever will lead to peace and independence and the restoration of dignity and sovereignty in Afghanistan, we will accept," he said.
Pressed on whether he was seeking direct military aid and foreign troops from the EU, Masood said, "We have not asked and we do not need foreign military troops to defend our land."
"The people of Afghanistan are ready to resist and to defend our land, but this requires support," he added, not specifying what support he wanted.
"The strengthening of the resistance against the Taliban will provide the opportunity for a peaceful settlement and make Taliban think peace rather than continued war," he said.
The Taliban's chief backer is believed to be Pakistan.
Fontaine said she had received a letter of protest to Masood's appearance in parliament and would write back "asking Pakistan to stop supporting the Taliban because of its fanatical ... views."
Masood said: "If Pakistan's support of the Taliban stopped today, the armed conflict would be over in one year."
Masood's trip to Europe comes just weeks after the Taliban's widely-condemned destruction of the ancient Bamiyan Buddhist statues, and at a time when Afghanistan has found its way back into Western headlines.
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