Afghan warring parties agree to U.N.-sponsored peace talks

November 4, 2000
Web posted at: 7:15 AM HKT (2315 GMT)

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Afghanistan's two warring parties have agreed to U.N.-sponsored negotiations to end the conflict, a senior U.N. official said Friday.

Fransesc Vendrell, the U.N.'s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, said he had received letters from the ruling Taliban and the opposition United Front notifying him of their willingness to hold talks, "in good faith" and without interruption until the negotiating agenda is exhausted.

The talks will begin next week. Vendrell is still deciding where he will meet with negotiators from both sides.

Vendrell said if conditions are right, a three-way meeting might be held at the end of November.

ALSO Text of agreement among warring Afghan parties

But face-to-face meetings -- and even a cease-fire -- are not as critical as reaching a substantive agreement on the core issues, Vendrell said.

"Be ready for a very long, and difficult discussion, if we ever reach that point," he added.

Since the Soviet invasion in 1979, Afghanistan has been mired in war.

Earlier Friday, the top humanitarian official in Afghanistan, Erik de Mul, said tens of thousands of Afghan civilians are facing starvation as a result of ongoing drought and fighting.

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