Rivals seek Afghan seat at OIC ministerial meeting

JAKARTA (JP): The opening day of the 24th meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) was hit with a quandary yesterday as Afghan delegates from opposing sides sought to occupy a seat in the meeting.

Representatives from the Taleban militia and those loyal to ousted President Burhanuddin Rabbani are here in Jakarta vying for the Afghanistan seat in the OIC meeting.

Despite being permitted to sit through the opening session, both sides were officially barred from participating or entering the plenary and committee sessions of the meeting.

Indonesia's Director General of Political Affairs Izhar Ibrahim told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the organization has not determined which party would have the right occupy the Afghan seat.

"It's still under negotiation," replied Izhar about the predicament.

Taleban forces in September took Kabul and set up a new government in the city. However those loyal to President Rabbani have begun a counteroffensive and continue trying to retake the city.

The presence of two opposing forces claiming to represent Afghanistan has left the OIC in a crux.

A senior officials meeting of the organization in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier in the year agreed to leave the seat vacant and let ministers during their meeting here decide which side should occupy it.

Izhar yesterday said he hopes the current meeting can come up with a decision on the matter.

However other delegates have indicated that the ministerial meeting would probably defer making any quick decision given the fluidity of the situation in Afghanistan.

A. Farhadi, a delegate representing Rabbani's faction, yesterday vigorously argued that his side had the right to take the seat.

"We would like the plenary to adopt a resolution which will be in favor of our presence in this meeting," said Farhadi who is Afghanistan's permanent representative at the United Nations.

Farhadi pointed out that Afghanistan is a founding member of the OIC and has never been absent during the organization's meetings.

He maintained that "no country has recognized the Taleban" thus there is no reason why the plenary should do so and give them the right to take the seat.

When asked whether it would be possible for 2 representatives to sit in Afghanistan's chair, Farhadi quickly retorted: "No, this will never happen."

Delegates from the 53-member states of the OIC are attending the meeting which was opened yesterday by President Soeharto. The meeting will end on Friday.(mds)