RIYADH, Jan 20: Saudi Arabia has given Afghanistan $20 million as a first instalment of emergency aid, interim government leader Hamid Karzai said in comments published on Sunday.

“Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has ordered emergency aid with a first instalment of $20 million,” Karzai told Asharq Al-Awsat after talks on Saturday with the de facto ruler of the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan have also decided to re-open their respective embassies in Kabul and Riyadh “without delay”, he said.

Riyadh cut ties with the Taliban militia after the Sept 11 terror attacks on the United States.

Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia also discussed the issue of Saudis held in Afghanistan for allegedly fighting for Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network and the Taliban Islamic militia, Karzai added.

“The Taliban never represented Islam or Afghanistan, just the same as these people who found themselves in Afghanistan in the name of the Arabs and who do not at all represent the Arabs or Islam,” he told the daily.

But Karzai noted “American forces should be repatriated as soon as they have finished their mission,” which was launched on Oct 7 and saw the rout of the Taliban.

He could not shed any light on the whereabouts of former Taliban spiritual leader Mulla Mohammad Omar or Osama bin Laden, who is wanted for the suicide hijackings in Washington and New York.

“It is difficult to say where they are,” Karzai admitted.

Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah told Al-Hayat newspaper that Riyadh would “give more financial assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan” at a donors conference which opens on Monday in Tokyo.

Saudi Finance Minister Ibarahim al-Assaf would lead the oil-rich kingdom’s delegation at the talks which will be co-chaired by Tokyo, Washington, Riyadh and the European Union.—AFP