The president of Tajikistan, Emomali Rakhmonov, called on the international community and organizations on Saturday to help end the conflict in Afghanistan.
In a New Year's message, Rakhmonov said peace talks were the only way to resolve the Afghan conflict, which he said had no military solution.
Tajikstan shares a 1,500 kilometer (930 mile) border with Afghanistan, which is the scene of regular shoot-outs with Afghan drug smugglers.
Rahkmonov said the conflict should be resolved "not just in the interests of the country and its neighbors but also in those of the international community."
He also praised Russia and the United States for focusing more attention on the crisis in Afghanistan over the last year.
The leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance, Ahmed Shah Massoud, met with Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev in Dushanbe on October 26 -- a meeting that brought threats of reprisals from the ruling Taliban movement.
The anti-Taliban Afghan opposition is widely believed to use Tajikistan as a supply base and route for its weapons and supplies -- DUSHANBE (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
