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European Parliament Leader Meets Afghan Anti-Taliban Commander
President of the European Parliament Nicole Fontaine met Afghanistan's anti-Taliban military chief Ahmed Shah Massoud on Thursday in Strasbourg, headquarters of the parliament in eastern France, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Massoud, whose forces have been fighting the fundamentalist Taliban movement since 1996 when the latter ousted former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani, is expected to meet deputies of the European Parliament on the current situation in his country, AFP quoted parliament members as saying.
Massoud, who arrived in Paris on Tuesday for his first visit to the West, on Wednesday met French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, President of National Assembly Raymond Forni and President of Senate Christian Poncelet.
He urged France to exert strong pressure on Pakistan, a major supporter of the Taliban movement.
"It is difficult to start a dialogue with Taliban, but we remain favorable to a political solution instead of a military one, " he said.
He said international non-governmental organizations and foreign parliamentary missions are welcome to visit Afghanistan, which is open to the outside via Tajikistan.
Massoud is also expected to meet Javier Solana, top foreign policy official of the European Union, on Friday.
Kabul's Taliban movement is currently recognized by the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, while the authorities of ousted Rabbani still holds Afghanistan's seat in the United Nations.
Taliban controls 90 percent of Afghan territory and the anti- Taliban forces led by Massoud are based in the northeast of the country bordering Tajikistan.
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