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American Morning

Important Diplomatic Meeting in Kabul

Aired August 13, 2002 - 07:30   ET

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

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Afghanistan, where there's an important diplomatic meeting in Kabul that could help bring stability to the region.
Matthew Chance live now in the capital city there with more on what's happening -- Matthew, good afternoon to you there.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, as well, Bill.

The visiting Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, is in Kabul now meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai. It's an important symbolic meeting here. It's the first time an Iranian leader has come to Afghanistan in 40 years. There's a lot of bilateral issues for the two countries to discuss.

Interestingly, though, there were a number of comments of interest to us about the United States and the U.S. war against terrorism. The Iranian president confirming that he had extradited a number of al Qaeda suspects to Saudi Arabia and also saying that his government, interestingly, has been handing over a number of detainees to other countries, as well, even on the slightest suspicion, he said, of al Qaeda membership.

So signs there of some cooperation from the Iranian government in the U.S. war against terrorism, although a lot of criticism, as well, from President Khatami, who is saying that the United States has taken an angry attitude towards foreign policy, especially since September 11 -- Bill.

HEMMER: Matthew Chance live in Kabul with the very latest on that meeting today.

Thank you, Matthew.

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