ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Pakistan said on Monday it was no longer doing business with the Taliban movement although it had not withdrawn diplomatic recognition.

Speaking at a press conference here, Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said the militia’s embassy in Islamabad remained open.

“We don’t have relations, we don’t conduct business between the government of Pakistan and whatever is left of the Taliban government,” Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said.

“But relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue and they will be maintained according to our best intentions,” he added.

The foreign minister said Pakistan’s understanding was that the United Nations did not recognise any government in Afghanistan after a recent Security Council resolution to help Afghans form a transitional administration that should lead to the formation of a broad-based, multi-ethnic government.

According to a UN plan, the world body will host a gathering of Afghan representatives possibly in Geneva on or around Nov 24, which will be expected to set up a “provisional council” that will lead to the establishment of a “transitional administration” to govern Afghanistan for a period not exceeding two years. Afghanistan’s traditional loya jirga will then come into play which according to already spelt out principles, will provide a permanent broad-based and multi-ethnic representative Afghan government.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister said the United Nations would determine the size of the meeting of the Afghan people and with their consultations will decide the number of people to be invited for the provincial council meeting.

To a question, he said all countries had to carry out the obligation of the Security Council Resolution 1378 which did not recognise any government in Afghanistan today. Therefore, he said the question of accrediting any embassy should not arise.

To a question, the foreign minister said the government had received no message from the Taliban Ambassador, Mulla Abdul Salam Zaeef.

About the status of Taliban’s ambassador in Pakistan, the minister said that under international law this (Afghan) mission is a mission of Afghanistan in Pakistan and does not imply recognition of any government in that country.

Pakistan, he said, had withdrawn its diplomatic personnel from Afghanistan and at this time “we don’t have any ambassador accredited to Afghanistan.”

Mr Sattar said Pakistan had not yet announced “de-recognition of the Taliban government but it did not mean that we continue to recognise it”. The Taliban regime, he said, had collapsed and for the time being Afghan embassy was representing Afghanistan in our country.

The minister said Pakistan was first told that the Northern Alliance would be restrained from sending its forces to Kabul and they themselves gave the indication.

But he said, they entered Kabul to the surprise of the coalition partners and the United Nations. “It is a matter that has to be dealt with by the United Nations.”

“It is extremely difficult for a broad-based transitional administration to function in a city which is under the occupation of any one faction and this needs to be resolved.”

He said it would be better to wait for the outcome of the first meeting of the Afghans due later this week.

“This is not at all a position that is hostile to any function,” he said and expressed the hope that all the parties in Afghanistan including the components of the Northern Alliance would play their due role in the formation of the transitional arrangements and later the future government. To a question, the minister said if any Pakistani had entered Afghanistan it was their choice. “The government of Pakistan has constantly maintained that the Pakistani citizens have no business to go to the foreign country and fight for the side one or other Afghan group or faction.

But, he said, Pakistan had a responsibility to it citizens as even those who committed violation of law still received protection of their governments.

“We will fulfil our responsibility to our nationals and make representation to the authorities concerned that these people should be dealt with in accordance with the law and not subjected to any inhuman act on part of their captors,” he added.

To a question regarding opposition leader Burhanuddin Rabbani declaring himself president of Afghanistan, the minister said: “It is the transitional administration established by the United Nations with which we would be happy to deal on a government-to-administration basis in this case.”

“We do not recognise in the meantime a claim by any leader to represent the whole of Afghanistan,” he added.

Responding to a question on Konduz where reportedly thousands of civilians were besieged, he said that the Security Council resolutions called upon all Afghans forces to refrain from acts of reprisal and to adhere strictly to their obligations under human rights and international humanitarian law.

“The subject is already in the notice of the United Nations and the UN should act in accordance with its own resolutions.”

To a question on the surrender of the Taliban, he said: “Presumably all those who will surrender will surrender to the coalition forces.”

But, he said, it was possible that surrender would be to some of the local authorities as happened in Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat and Kabul.

“It will be important that all Afghans observe the principle of humanitarian law and refrain from reprisal or violence against those people who surrender,” he emphasised.

The minister hoped that the United Nations and Coalition Forces would act together to prevent excesses of the type that according to some reports took place in cities where Taliban had surrendered.

He said the United Nations had been considering ideas regarding the dispatch of a force to Afghanistan. One idea was of UN peacekeeping forces and the other is that of multi-national force. “I know that the UN secretariat has taken some initiative but no decision has yet been made to constitute this force and to send this force to Afghanistan,” he added.

“Our own view is that for the efficient functioning of the transitional administration, it should be necessary for that administration to be secured and supported by a multi-national force. Quite clearly, it would be difficult for a broad-based and independent transitional administration to function in a city that is under the occupation of one faction. So we hope that this matter will receive some serious consideration in order to facilitate the efficient functioning of the transitional administration,” he stated.

To a question on Taliban’s reported refusal to participate in the proposed meeting, he said the United Nations was considering the composition of this meeting of Afghans and they would decide in consultation with members of the United Nations as to who should be invited to this first meeting of the Afghans.

“Let me recall that this meeting will lead to a larger provisional council meeting. At that time, the ideas put forward by the Afghans as to who should be invited, I am sure, will receive consideration of the secretary-general. It is quite clear that only those people will be invited to these meetings who have in advance committed themselves to implementation of the Security Council resolutions. Anyone who is opposed to that resolution certainly cannot have a place in this meeting,” he added.

The foreign minister said that earlier he held talks with the visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher. He said that the Egyptian foreign minister had brought a message of sympathies and solidarity from the President of Egypt, Hosni Mobarak.

“We also have had a chance to exchange views on the situation in our region, and the word I wish to say about him is that we greatly welcome the foreign minister and the gesture that has been made by the president of Arab Republic of Egypt,” he said.

To a question, the minister said the talks were held in the context of the current situation in Afghanistan.

About the message Ahmed Maher had brought, he said it was of good wishes, solidarity and assurances of Egyptian support.—Agencies