OIC DELEGATES APPEAL TO TALIBAN TO SPARE BUDDHA STATUES








ABU DHABI, MARCH 10, 2001. /from RIA Novosti's Igor Kuznetsov/ -- A delegation of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference is leaving Doha, Qatar's capital, for Afghanistan by air, to appeal to the Taliban not to destroy ancient Buddhist and other non-Muslim shrines.


	Leading the delegates is Ahmed al-Mahmoud, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, OIC acting chair country.


	The delegation includes eminent Muslim theologians--Nasser Wassal, Grand Mufti of Egypt; Sheikh Muhammad ar-Rawi of the Muslim university Al-Azkhar; Sheikh Taqi al-Osmani of Pakistan; and renowned preacher Yussef al-Gargavi.