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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 17, 2001
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Secretary of State Colin Powell and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf agreed Tuesday that moderate officials from Afghanistan's radical Taliban regime should be allowed to serve in a post-Taliban government.
Powell, who is on a three-nation Asia tour, said Taliban officials who signal a willingness to serve in a broad-based successor government should not be automatically excluded.
"You can't ethnically cleanse Afghanistan after this is over, but you can certainly get rid of this particular regime that has driven this country into such devastation," Powell said. Some of the more moderate elements in the Taliban may be willing "to participate in a different kind of government where the rights of all are respected," he said.
After the current government is toppled, Powell said, "there would still be those who might find that the teachings" and the "beliefs of that movement" are still important. "We would have to listen to them or at least take them into account," he said.
Musharraf, whose government has supported the Taliban, said a representative post-Taliban government could include "moderate Taliban leaders."
Neither Musharraf nor Powell elaborated on whom they considered to be moderate Taliban leaders. But Abdullah Abdullah, the designated foreign minister of the Northern Alliance, the main opposition group to the Taliban in Afghanistan, said he would not accept any Taliban member in a future government.
Powell and Musharraf spoke at a news conference as the secretary of state was winding up a 22-hour visit to Pakistan.
The Pakistani leader said his government will assist the U.S. anti-terrorism effort in Afghanistan for as long as it takes. "We will carry on cooperating so long as the operation lasts," he said.
Musharraf ingratiated himself with the Bush administration early on by agreeing to cooperate with the U.S. effort to root out Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network from Afghanistan.
Musharraf agreed to share intelligence with the United States, allow U.S. use of Pakistani airspace and provide logistical support. He said Tuesday that his commitment was contingent on Pakistan not being asked to go beyond these three areas.
At the same time, Musharraf expressed hope the operation in Afghanistan will be short -- a point with which Powell concurred. Powell also noted that President Bush has said the campaign will continue as long as it takes to achieve its objectives. The United States began military operations in Afghanistan on Oct. 7.
Musharraf's pledges have rejuvenated U.S. relations with Pakistan, which have been strained for years by Pakistan's pursuit of nuclear weapons and the coup that Musharraf staged two years ago against a democratically elected government.
A senior official traveling with Powell said U.S. financial cooperation, coupled with International Monetary Fund assistance, will lift direct and indirect assistance to Pakistan to more than $1-billion.
In Washington, the House gave final approval Tuesday to lifting sanctions against Pakistan.
Musharraf told Powell that he was committed to holding democratic elections next year, and he pressed for greater access to the U.S. market to stabilize a teetering economy.
After the news conference, Powell left for India, where he will meet today with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee before traveling to Shanghai for an Asia-Pacific summit.
Part of Powell's objective in Pakistan and India is to convince the two nuclear powers not to allow their differences over the disputed territory of Kashmir to get out of hand. Like Pakistan, India has promised support to the anti-terrorism coalition.
Powell's goal of keeping tensions down was set back as exchanges of gunfire occurred again Tuesday along the border that separates Indian Kashmir from Pakistani Kashmir. Indian troops fired the first shots Monday evening shortly before Powell's plane landed in Islamabad.
Powell stressed the need for dialogue and, in a comment certain to please Pakistanis, said the dispute "must be resolved in accord with the wishes of the Kashmir people."
Pakistan strongly believes India is denying the predominantly Muslim population of Kashmir its right to self-determination. India says Pakistan is engaged in terrorist activities by backing a Muslim insurgency in Kashmir.
India's defense minister, George Fernandes, said Tuesday that Indian soldiers killed 30 guerrillas who tried to cross Kashmir's cease-fire line into Indian territory.
Fernandes warned that his army "will act very decisively, with no holds barred" to fight Muslim guerrillas who try to infiltrate the country.
India wants the United States to commit to a two-stage campaign against terror: Destroy the Taliban first, then destroy the terrorists who advocate Kashmir's separation from Pakistan.
Indian officials also balked at Powell's suggestion that moderate members of the Taliban could participate in a new, broad-based Afghan government. India supports the Northern Alliance and would like to see it play a dominant role in a new government.
"Moderate Taliban is an oxymoron," said a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Nirupama Rao. "There should be no place for Taliban in the future structure."