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Politics : Clinton -- doomed & wagging, Japan collapses, Y2K bug, etc -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SOROS who wrote (99)	9/6/1998 2:20:00 PM
From: SOROS	Respond to of 1151

BBC - 09/06/98 The Taleban have been arming civilians in Nimroz province against possible attack American defence officials are monitoring the situation on the border between Iran and Afghanistan closely, following a substantial build-up of Iranian military forces. The American State Department said it opposed outside interference in Afghanistan and called on neighbouring states to respect the country's borders. The comments came after Iran said it had the right to take all necessary action against the Taleban authorities in Afghanistan unless they release Iranian nationals held in the country. Washington correspondent Richard Lister says the United States supports neither country, but fears a war between them would destabilise the whole region. Taleban 'won't start war' The Taleban authorities in Afghanistan have said they have no intention of starting a war with Iran but will defend themselves if attacked. The Taleban spokesman at the United Nations, Noorullah Zadran, warned Iran that any attack on the Taleban would create a regional conflict involving neighbouring countries. "I believe that would turn the entire region into a fireball," he said. Iran warns of 'necessary action' A statement on Iranian radio on Saturday said: "Tehran has tried...to make the (United Nations) Security Council aware of a situation which can threaten international peace and security. "After this process, Iran will have the right under Chapter 7, Article 51 of the UN Charter to take all necessary action in the context of legitimate defence." Earlier, American defence officials told the Washington Post newspaper they believed Iran was about to launch a raid into Afghanistan. Troops mass Iran earlier this week sent 70,000 troops to the border - along with tanks, heavy artillery and attack aircraft - for military exercises. BBC correspondent Richard Galpin, who is monitoring the situation from Islamabad, says Iranian troops have staged mock assaults, simulating incursions deep into enemy territory. The Iranian authorities announced this week the troops would remain in the area even after the manouevres have finished. The commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Major-General Yahya Rahim Safavi, said his men would simulate attacks deep into enemy territory. But he denied Iran was seeking confrontation. Tension rising The tension between Kabul and Tehran has been simmering for some time. But it has been brought to boiling point by fears for the safety of 10 Iranian diplomats and a journalist who went missing when the Taleban captured the opposition stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan last month. Iran, which provides both military and financial help to the Afghan opposition, has been alarmed by the recent military successes of the Taleban, whose extreme brand of Sunni Islam is vary different from Iran's own radical Shia ideology. While Iran believes its diplomats have been taken prisoner the human rights organisation Amnesty International said this week they had been killed. The Taleban leader, Mullah Mohaamad Omar, suggested the Iranians may have been killed by Taleban soldiers acting independently of their leadership.