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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Pakistan Delegation Mission to Afghanistan Twofold

Aired September 28, 2001 - 08:02   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: A delegation of Muslim clerics from Pakistan is in neighboring Afghanistan today making yet another appeal to the Taliban rulers to hand over terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour is in Islamabad, Pakistan with the latest -- Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, we understand this delegation, which also includes government officials, including the head of Pakistan's intelligence service, the same man who led the previous delegation, we understand that they are right now in meetings with the Taliban Foreign Minister in their ruling seat of Kandahar.

We are also being told that in addition to delivering a message from the Pakistani government that they have a mission that includes trying to secure the release of those two American aid workers and the other six international aid workers who have been in jail in Afghanistan since late August charged with trying to spread Christianity. We understand from the Pakistani spokesman that that is one of the missions to try to secure their release to at least show goodwill.

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RIAZ KHAN, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: As far as the head of the intelligence who is accompanying them is concerned, he will certainly be emphasizing the position of the government which is that in view of the gravity of the situation, the one leadership should be responsive to what the world is expecting from them.

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AMANPOUR: Now also, the Taliban leadership appears to be trying to convince the international community that it is actually cooperating. Now we're hearing after a great deal of confusion over the last few days that the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, has in fact signed off on this edit (ph) that was issued by the Taliban religious clerics asking Osama bin laden to leave Afghanistan and that now this message has been delivered to Osama bin Laden. Taliban ambassador here in Pakistan has also briefed the Belgium ambassador -- Belgium holds the EU presidency at the moment -- trying to convince, as I say, the international community that they are playing ball. And in just one other development, the Taliban had asked for a meeting of Islamic nations to discuss this issue. And today, Pakistan's foreign ministry announced that in fact there will be a gathering of the organization for Islamic conference their foreign ministers in Quetta (ph) in the Persian Gulf in October -- October 9 -- Paula.

ZAHN: Christiane, thanks so much for the update.

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