Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

America's New War: Afghani Religious Leaders to Meet and Recommend Course of Action

Aired September 17, 2001 - 11:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We go now to Afghanistan, where Nic Robertson is standing by with the very latest. Nic, what is the latest from Afghanistan?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Clearly the meeting (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Pakistani diplomatic mission here to tell the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden, they have been completed. They have had two rounds of talks here. One with the foreign minter here. Pakistan delegation telling us they told the Taliban not only to hand over Osama bin Laden, but they had very little time to do it, and that they should resolved the problem quickly. The Taliban foreign minister said that they would consider this issue, and they would consider it at the highest level.

This diplomatic delegation from Pakistan had one security chief and one former ambassador to Afghanistan. These people quite influential here. Perhaps as far as Pakistan goes, the best people they could send to influence the Taliban at this time.

They then met with the supreme spiritual leader of the Taliban Murah Emark (ph). That meeting went somewhat (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we understand. There was merely a specific comment after that meeting, that high Taliban officials tell us that they heard this message before, and that they would consider it.

Now later in the day, Supreme leader Mohar Amar (ph) of the Taliban has announced by radio that religious scholars should gather in Kabul tomorrow, twenty from each province. There are thirty province in Afghanistan, to gather in Kabul. As you said, there, they would make up their decision about these issues, Osama bin Laden, about whether or not if Afghanistan is attacked by America, then they should declare a jihad. These decision that this religious leader council will be working on tomorrow.

ZAHN: Once thee religious leader meet, do you expect them to answer this demand within that three-day period?

ROBERTSON: They are quite capable of reaching consensus very quickly. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) religious scholars on one province recently, and they advise the Taliban to keep their doors open to diplomacy. That meeting lasted only several hours. So they are quite capable of coming up with an answer in a fairly short space of time. There are key figures in the council that (UNINTELLIGIBLE). After they have made their decision, it is likely that (INTELLIGIBLE) on board, but it's also very likely that he could make a final ruling himself. So whatever they may not necessarily be the complete and final outcome -- Paula.

ZAHN: Are there any indications there is any preparation for a potential military strike against Afghanistan now under way?

ROBERTSON: Well, certainly some people that can afford to get their families out of town have taken them out of the towns, of Kandahar, Kabul, cities around the country where the Taliban fear they might be hit by missiles.

On streets -- and we traveled some 300 miles today to come down from Kabul to southern city of Kandahar, the spiritual capital of the Taliban. On the rarest business (INTELLIGIBLE) looked like (INTELLIGIBLE), but what one did notice, there were far fewer children around the cities, and far fewer women around in the cities. Many people have chosen to get their families out of town. The U.S. understands from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Pakistan, that there are significant numbers of refugees moving to Pakistan at this time.

ZAHN: Do you have any idea of what number of people are trying to head for the Pakistani border?

ROBERTSON: From where we stand, that is difficult to gauge. They are very busy. The markets are still busy. The bread stores are still making bread daily. The furniture makers are. The car mechanics are there. You know, it's basically on the street, just looks like business as usual. But just a little thinner. There doesn't seem any big military preparation underway here, driving down from Kabul again. I mean, very few check points, as one might think that there might be in a country so close (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

So it does appear superficially business as normal. But it is very, very difficult to say. Very few people in Afghanistan actually that have the finances to try and get their families out. There's been 22 years of war ongoing here, and many people here (UNINTELLIGIBLE) are really trying to figure out how they are going to get their meal on the table at the end of the day. They don't have the money to buy a car to get out of town. They can't buy the fuel to put in the car to get themselves out of town. Their ability -- the possibility for many people to get away just is not here -- Paula.

ZAHN: Even if Pakistan continues to cooperate and support the U.S. And its friendly nations efforts. What will happen to Afghanistan when Pakistan no longer provides money to the Taliban, no longer provides weapons?

ROBERTSON: It's a serious blow for the Taliban. The Taliban would say that they don't derive a lot of support in Pakistan. But most intelligence say, who study this region say to the contrary. Certainly the Taliban, one of the things they need most of all is soldiers. Many of those soldiers come from La Blances (ph), the religious school across the border in Pakistan. Certainly, blocking relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan would dent the Taliban's military capability, would hurt the economy, because a lot of food and economic trade goes on between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and even the short term prognosis for the Taliban, the closure of the border at Pakistan, and the relationship from a political level has really to sound an alarm bell for the Taliban. It's not a good situation for them. There is really very few other friends that they can turn toward at this time.

ZAHN: Do you expect to be leaked any information by the Taliban or any of the religious leaders as they go about the process of trying to decide whether they will comply with this demand?

ROBERTSON: We had a good few people who are fairly well placed to pick up the news as they deliberate through the day. I do hope and I do expect to get some kind of a lead as the deliberation goes. But as I say, whatever the outcome is of the deliberation of that religious council, it can still be countermanded by Mohar Amar. He is the supreme religious leader of the Taliban, and his word is essentially law. He will listen to all those around him, but he will make up his mind at the end of the day. He will be guided, but it will be his decision at the end of the day.

ZAHN: Nic Robertson, thank you so much for that report.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com