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American Morning

Negotiations For Spin Boldak Breakdown Over Control of Town Issue

Aired November 28, 2001 - 08:07   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: About 70 miles southeast of Kandahar, there is a snag in negotiations for the Taliban to give up control of Spin Boldak. Talks have stalled over which tribe will gain control of the town.

Let's go straight to Nic Robertson, who is standing by in neighboring Pakistan with his perspective -- Nic, what can you report at this hour?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, these talks, we are told, have been stalled now or in progress for three days. We just came back from the border, which is just behind me -- you can't see it in the darkness now, it's dusk here -- when we talked to people coming out of Spin Boldak, and they still say that it's in the control of the Taliban, although they do say there are some tribal elements running around in the town. But they do say that the Taliban control it mostly.

Now, the problem with the negotiations, Pakistani officials tell us, is that the Taliban do appear to be ready to surrender Spin Boldak. What they want to do is split the power between two Pashtun tribes: the Noorzai and the Achakzai.

Now, apparently, according to Pakistani officials, these two tribes won't agree to share the power. Each tribe wants it for themselves. That appears to be blocking progress at the moment. We're also getting more information about the road from Kandahar to Spin Boldak. Again, the road appears not to be in -- fully under Taliban control, and it is not clear who controls much of the hint around between here and Kandahar -- Paula.

ZAHN: And, Nic, I know that you have heard much of the speculation we have heard about the status of Mullah Omar. What have you told -- been told by any of your sources?

ROBERTSON: Well, here at the border, rumors and ideas about that are fairly sketchy. Certainly, everyone here has listened to the news and is aware of these attacks on Mullah Mohammed Omar.

Now, even these -- interestingly, even these tribal commanders here that we've talked to, who were involved in negotiations to take power away from the Taliban, talk about the American strikes as being something unfortunate and something that they wish weren't happening -- Paula.

ZAHN: Nic Robertson, thanks for that update -- appreciate it.

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