KYRGYZSTAN ALMOST REVOKES HINT ABOUT RELATIONS WITH THE TALIBAN.

Deputy Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev yesterday almost revoked the previous day’s hint that Kyrgyzstan might establish relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities in Kabul. “Official recognition was not and is not on the agenda,” Abdyldaev stated in response to media queries. While denying the prospect of “official” recognition, Abdyldaev was careful to apportion equal blame on the Taliban and the “northern alliance” for the continuation of the civil war. He mentioned that Kyrgyzstan has been talking with both sides, and renewed Bishkek’s offer to host an international conference to settle the conflict. (Russian agencies, September 10)

On September 9 another Kyrgyz deputy foreign minister, Alikbek Jekshenkulov, had raised the possibility of parallel recognition of the Taliban authorities and Burhanuddin Rabbani’s group, in the context of Kyrgyzstan’s mediation initiative. (See the Monitor, September 10; on Rabbani’s politics see The Wall Street Journal, Review & Outlook, September 9)–VS

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