Persian Gulf Countries Call On Northern Alliance For Abiding By International Covenants Re Pow's

Countries in the Persian Gulf voice deep concern for the fate of the nationals of Arab and Islamic countries taken prisoner in Afghanistan and invite the Northern Alliance to abide by the relative requirements contained in the international covenants. In a conversation with reporters on Saturday, Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz expressed the hope that "every Arab or Muslim found in Afghanistan will have an opportunity to return home". In an interview to the television station Al-Jazeera, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad al-Thani said that foreign mercenaries should be viewed as prisoners-of-war and those who have committed crimes should be put on trial. "We have received assurances from the United States that not one foreign prisoner-of-war in Afghanistan will be put to mob law", said the minister. Earlier, a representative of Afghan General Abdul Rashid Dostum said that life will be preserved for all foreign militants fighting on the Taliban side in Kunduz and Khanabad and they will be treated according to the Shariat laws. Later, they can be passed to the United Nations, the United States or their home countries.