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CNN Live Saturday

Efforts Under Way to Convince Exiled Afghan King to Retake the Throne

Aired September 29, 2001 - 17:23   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The threat of military strikes by the U.S. and its allies continues to send Afghan refugees fleeing toward their countries borders. The crisis is so bad, some United Nations officials say it could turn out to be the worst humanitarian crisis ever.

Today, for the first time since the attacks on the U.S., the U.N. convoy carrying food and other supplies left Pakistan for Afghanistan. While the refugee crisis gets worse, there are some efforts under way to convince Afghanistan's deposed king to return to the throne if the chance arises.

The story from CNN's Jim Bittermann.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The gate at suburb of Rome that is home to the exiled king of Afghanistan is in sharp contrast to his devastated country. And it says something about Afghanistan's political disintegration that the hopes for reuniting the nation are focused on the 86-year-old king and his handful of loyalists.

But the fifth monarch who gave this exclusive interview to CNN, made his intentions clear.

"I wish to return to my country, be with my people, to revert the infrastructure, in order to create a democratic, free and independent Afghanistan."

There seems little interest in restoring the king to anything more than symbolic rule. Yet despite his distance from the present situation, a steady stream of Afghans and non-Afghans alike have made the pilgrimage here.

FRANCESO VANDRELL, U.N. AFGHAN SPECIAL REP.: They see in the former king the last ruler that had legitimacy.

BITTERMANN: It's not the first time attempts have been made to use the exiled ruler as a peacemaker. The Russians tried it more than a decade ago. And over the years, the king himself has repeatedly tried to gather Afghans political factions together. But in the wake of the U.S. attacks, the climate is different. At a modest Rome hotel, the king's grandson has been engaged in a running series of meeting with various factional leaders and militia commanders. They announced Friday that they have agreed on how to bring together an ancient form of national assembly and the elements of a military alliance.

But the most significant development was the arrival of one of the top leaders of the Northern Alliance, who will meet with the king this weekend. The alliance says it will participate, as long as the process remains democratic.

YONUS GANOONI, NORTHERN ALLIANCE: It is really contingent upon the king to represent all Afghans and to represent the entire Afghan nation. This is what we will support.

BITTERMANN: Yet despite the growing inflammation among Afghans in Rome to unite under the symbolic leadership of the former king, he has his detractors.

(on camera): Experts say that if he were to leave his plush exile outside of Rome and return to Afghanistan, it might be opposed by both Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan because of memories of his attempt to seize territory in the 1960s and Iran because he might stir up pro-monarchist sentiments.

(voice-over): Even those who now support the king's efforts remain skeptical about the return of someone who spent so much time in comfortable exile. Said one, "He must be ready to work."

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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