AFGHANISTAN'S EMBASSY IN MOSCOW HAS NO INFORMATION ON THE EXISTENCE OF A TALEBAN BRANCH IN RUSSIA








MOSCOW, March 11. /From RIA Novosti correspondent/. The Embassy of Afghanistan in Moscow does not possess any information on the existence and functioning on Russia's territory of any branches of the Afghan Taleban movement. RIA Novosti learned this from a competent source in the Embassy of Afghanistan on Sunday as it commented on President Vladimir Putin's decree on measures with regard to the Taleban.


	The mentioned document was signed on March 10 in keeping with the fulfilment by Russia of UN Security Council resolution 1333 of December 19, 2000, which provides for the fulfilment by the signatory countries of the sanctions imposed upon the Taleban movement. The Russian President's decree establishes additional restrictions with regard to the Taleban-controlled territory of Afghanistan. In particular, in keeping with the decree, all branches of the Taleban movement and offices of the Afghan Ariana air line are to be closed on the territory of the Russian Federation.


	The source noted in this connection that the Moscow-based office of the Ariana air company operates only formally. He said that after the Taleban came to power in Kabul on September 26, 1996, "all flights of that air company to Russia had been discontinued." The source recalled that President Burhanuddin Rabbani's legal government deems it necessary that similar sanctions be applied also to Pakistan which renders military and material assistance to the Taleban."