November 28, 2001	Wednesday	Ramazan 12, 1422

WASHINGTON, Nov 27: The United States is opposed to and has lobbied Russia and other countries against recognizing the de facto Northern Alliance government in Kabul because it is not a “viable” authority, a senior US official said Tuesday.

“We’ve had some concern about countries not rushing to establish diplomatic relations with the so-called Rabbani government on the basis that we do not see this as something that is going to be viable,” the official said.

The official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity at the State Department, referred to Burhanuddin Rabbani, the former Afghan president who is recognized as the country’s leader by the United Nations.

Rabbani returned to Kabul earlier this month after the capital fell to Northern Alliance forces as the Taliban militia fled.

He has created what the United States and others — now pressing for the creation of a broad-based Afghan government at a UN conference on Afghanistan’s future in Bonn — hope will only be an interim authority.

“We have been encouraging countries that even if (they) establish something on the ground ... to facilitate diplomatic contacts, do humanitarian efforts ... that it not in any way be construed as constituting normal diplomatic relations or recognition of the so-called Rabbini government,” the US official said.

“That is not going to be a viable successor to the Taliban.”

Shortly after Rabbani’s return to Kabul, Iran re-opened its embassy there and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Sunday that Moscow would soon set up a permanent diplomatic mission in the city.

The official identified Russia as one country Washington had expressed its concerns to but said Moscow had “not been singled out” in the lobbying effort.

“We have weighed in with many countries,” he said.

WIDESPREAD LOOTING: The Taliban regime appeared on Tuesday to have lost control of the southeastern border town of Spin Boldak, leaving a vacuum which allowed thousands of people to begin a looting spree, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.

“Things have gotten out of hand in Spin Boldak and thousands of people looted relief goods,” a witness told AIP.

The witness said Spin Boldak was no longer controlled by the Taliban.

“The area is now under the control of forces of the Noorzai and Achakzai tribes,” he told AIP from the Pakistan-Afghan border.

“I have seen people taking away blankets and other items in their vehicles,” he said.

AIP said it was not clear whether the Taliban forces had actually left the town, but that more than 5,000 tribesmen had arrived and appeared to have taken control.—AFP