07 February 2004	Saturday	15 Zilhaj 1424

ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: The Taliban have rejected a reported offer of negotiations by the United States, considering the offer an attempt to create a rift among the ranks of the militia, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said on Friday.

In a statement faxed to the newspaper's offices in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, the Taliban reacted sharply to the statement by a spokesman for the United States forces that they were ready to hold talks with moderate Taliban members.

"Taliban and even a true Muslim and any upright Afghan would never agree to holding talks with those who attacked Afghanistan," Taliban spokesman Hamid Agha said in the statement. -DPA