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CNN Sunday Morning

Northern Alliance Foreign Minister Discusses Fighting the Taliban

Aired September 23, 2001 - 10:15   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.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We want to go overseas now and bring in a guest who could be quite significant as the United States tries to build this international coalition, looks for help in a war on terrorism that at least initially, it's focused on Afghanistan. Joining us now, Abdullah Abdullah, the foreign minister of the Northern Alliance, the major opposition force within Afghanistan to the Taliban ruling militia. Thank you so much sir, for joining us today.

I wanted to ask you first, our Chris Burns who is with you in that area, has been reporting on stepped military activity by the Northern Alliance against the Taliban. Sir, are you doing this on your own or has the United States or anyone else specifically requested that you intensify the military activity at this time?

ABDULLAH ABDULLAH, FOREIGN MINISTER, NORTHERN ALLIANCE: No, we are doing this on our own. And it was a part of our strategy. After the assassination attempt against Commander Massoud, we had halted our military operations and we were totally in defensive positions for a few days.

After controlling the situation, now, we have taken initiative in northern Afghanistan by capturing Edius (ph) and liberating Edius (ph) by Taliban's side. Certainly, it would -- it would help any effort by the United States of America in an indicted manner.

KING: How do you communicate now with the United States? Are you in direct communication with State Department or Pentagon officials? Are you going through a third party?

ABDULLAH: We are not going through the third party. I can contact at any time. And we do have means of contact. I cannot go into details.

KING: We also were told that there were conversations as recently as last night between the Northern Alliance and Russian officials. Sir, tell us about those conversions. Are the Russians giving intelligence information or are you sharing information with them?

ABDULLAH: No, we -- I met with General Krushanan (ph), the chief of the army, Russian Federation in Tajikistan as well as project authorities last night and this morning. We generally discuss the issue of Afghanistan, the new situation, the new political and military situation and the dimensions of what will happen to Afghanistan in the coming days.

(OFF-MIKE)

KING: Sir, help with the -- I'm sorry. We lost our audio there. We're sorry. It's very difficult -- a very, very difficult environment to get a feed out of that part of the country. Our Chris Burns in very difficult territory. That, Abdullah Abdullah, the foreign minister of the Northern Alliance, the largest opposition group within Afghanistan.

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