THE INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCES CAN ENTER AFGHANISTAN BEFORE DECEMBER 22

The international peacekeeping forces can enter Afghanistan even before December 22 - the day of the official transfer of power to the interim government, headed by Hamid Karzai. The RIA Novosti correspondent was told about it by a well informed source close to the administration of the incumbent Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani. At the session of the leading Council of the Joint Anti-Taliban Front, the so-called Masood Team - Defence Minister General Mohammad Qassem Fahim, Interior Minister Mohammad Younous Qanooni and Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah - insisted on approving the plan of the United Nations and the Bonn Conference for bringing into Afghanistan of the international peacekeeping forces. According to this plan, the international peacekeeping forces will be deployed in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif. According to the source, the international peacekeeping forces will consist of the US, English, German, French, Italian, Jordanian and Turkish forces. Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani and a number of field commanders categorically came out against the decision about bringing the international peacekeeping forces into Afghanistan. At the same time, the leader of the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, General Abdul Rashid Dustum, noted in the conversation with the RIA Novosti correspondent that in principle he supported the decision of the Bonn conference on bringing the peacekeeping forces into Afghanistan. At the same time he expressed the opinion that a Moslem country should stand at the head of the peacekeeping forces. In the opinion of Dustum, Turkey would be most suitable for this role.