Taliban orders closure of UN political office

In direct retaliation against US demands for the closure of the UN representative office in New York of the Taliban Islamic Movement, the ruling movement's foreign ministry on Wednesday ordered the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan (UNSMA) to close its office in the Afghan capital, Kabul. "The foreign ministry has issued a request for the immediate closure of the UNSMA office," the spokesman for the Taliban Embassy in Islamabad, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, told IRIN on Thursday. "If our offices are to be closed in New York, there is simply no reason for an UNSMA office in Kabul." The move comes after the US demanded the closure of the Taliban office in New York, in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1333 of 19 January which "urges all states that maintain diplomatic relations with the Taliban to reduce significantly the number and level of staff at Taliban missions and posts and restrict and control the movement within their territory of all such staff who remain." In the case of Taliban missions to international organisations, the resolution stated, "the host State, may, as it deems necessary, consult the organisation concerned on the measures required to implement this paragraph." The closure of representative Taliban offices abroad is just one of the sanctions being implemented because of the movement's refusal to hand over the suspected Saudi Arabian terrorist Osama bin Laden, wanted in connection with the bombings of two American embassies in east Africa in 1998, as well as its alleged continued support for terrorism. Shaheen said the closure of the UN's political office in Kabul would have no affect on the organisation's humanitarian offices in Afghanistan, nor would it affect the many NGOs working inside the beleaguered country. Asked if this closure would affect only the UNSMA office in Kabul, or whether the other five UNSMA offices in Afghanistan would also be affected, Shaheen said: "This move is against all offices." Despite Wednesday's announcement, UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan Francesc Vendrell is continuing his efforts to start peace talks between the Taliban and the opposition Northern Alliance. Fred Eckhard, spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan, said in New York on Wednesday: "Vendrell is in touch with the Taliban and is confident that a formula can be found that will enable the UN Secretariat to maintain its ongoing dialogue with the Taliban in New York." When UNSMA's offices would actually close remained unclear on Thursday. Senior political affairs officer for UNSMA in Islamabad, Freda Mackey, told IRIN on Thursday: "Mr Vendrell's contacts are continuing and we hope they will bear fruit. Meanwhile, the UNSMA office in Kabul remains open."