Afghans To Determine Their Country's Future, Calls Rumsfeld

It is up to Afghans to determine Afghanistan's future, Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence, stressed to a Pentagon news briefing. The USA is in contact with forces opposed to the Taliban in the Afghan north and south alike, and outside the country. Contacts are maintained with Taliban activists dissatisfied with regime policies. The United States is interested in such members of the Afghan community who want to put an end to activities of Al-Qaida and the Taliban top--in particular, the Northern Alliance and southern tribes, said Mr. Rumsfeld.