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Pakistan Expels Taliban Ambassador and Staff After Closing Embassy

Aired November 22, 2001 - 08:08   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Pakistan has essentially ended its recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, and CNN's Tom Mintier is in Islamabad, Pakistan this morning, and he brings us now the details of this major diplomatic development -- Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, it's been whispered about for weeks that Pakistan was basically going to close that last window. The United Arab Emirates in Saudi Arabia, long ago, broke off diplomatic relations with the Taliban. But now, Pakistan has done it, basically closing the embassy and telling the staff and the ambassador to make their way out of Pakistan.

It may not be a rush job. They may have a few days to do so. But this afternoon at the Taliban embassy here in Islamabad, it was clear that these people were leaving and not coming back. You could see several officials getting into cars. When questioned, where are you going? They said, "We are going to Kandahar, we're leaving Pakistan."

No sighting of the ambassador. He was supposedly at his residence. When we went there to see him, we were told by the guards out front that he was not accepting any visitors.

Now, Pakistan has really taken several steps in the last few days, and they probably got a little gentle nudging from the U.S. State Department. The spokesman there saying there was simply no need to keep the so-called embassy open here anymore, now that the eight international aid workers, including two Americans, had already made their way home. There was no need to have anymore communications with the Taliban.

So Pakistan took the step today by saying that the embassy is now closed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As the situation has changed, we have been taking gradual steps towards the closures of the missions and sub- missions (ph). A few days ago, we closed the consulate in Karachi. Then, three days ago, we announced the closure of the two consulates in Peshawar and Quetta. And then yesterday, a decision was taken to close the embassy in Islamabad, and this decision has been communicated officially to the Afghans this morning. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MINTIER: It may have been communicated, but some of the Taliban staffers at the embassy said they have received no official word from the Pakistani government that diplomatic relations had, indeed, been cut off.

Now, the embassy will probably remain closed for some time. There will be a meeting in Berlin on Monday trying to work on forming a new government for Afghanistan. So it's going to take some time before any kind of diplomatic relations, especially with Pakistan, are restored -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right. Tom Mintier reporting live to us from Islamabad, Pakistan -- thank you very much -- happy Thanksgiving to you and good luck on finding some turkey over there.

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