East and Eurasia so Europe is especially at risk `' 11 September European Union and the United Nations. Mean- Ms. Albright told a meeting of NATO foreign Opium production in Afghanistan jumped by 25 while, Austria's former Chancellor, Franz ministers. _(NYT, 17 December, p.12; WP, 17 percent over the last year, UN drugs officials Vranitzky, is conducting an urgent political December, p. A01) reported. Almost all of the increase has occurred mediation mission for the Organisation for in areas controlled by the Taliban, the Muslim Security and Co-operation in Europe, the group 17 December fundamentalist movement that has swept to whose recommendations helped resolve the President Clinton will ask the American Con- power in much of the country. (NYT, I 1 Sep- recent political showdown in Serbia. Albania and gress in January for a ratification of the extension tember, p.2) Italy asked the UN Security Council for an of the NATO with Poland, the Czech Republic emergency meeting on the crisis. The council's and Hungary. In 1999 when the NATO alliance 4 October president, Zbigniew Wlocowicz of Poland, said will celebrate its 50th anniversary, the NATO The Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan has devised the 15 council members would meet privately to allies will organize a special summit, Clinton a new proposal aimed at ending the war in Af discuss the request. (NYT, 14 March, p. 32; WP, announced (NRC, 17 December, p. 5) ghanistan and will present it to the United Na- 14 March, p. A01) tions. In an interview, the Foreign Minister, Abdulaziz Kamilov said his Government wants 16 March B. Operations to forge a coalition in Kabul that would include The European Union has agreed to send the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement peacekeeping troops to Albania and at the same but not allow it to impose policies opposed by time has indicated that it will provide extensive Afghanistan other factions. Mr. Kamilov said that in his help. The EU ministers of Foreign Affairs dis- speech to the United Nations General Assembly cussed this in Apeldoom while discussing the he would propose the establishment of a 'contact possibilities of restoring stability to Albania. 28 May group' to press for a new coalition in Kabul. Its Albania announced that it could restore order The strongly Islamic Taliban suffered a defeat in members would include all countries bordering with well-paid police units. (NZZ, 17 March, p. the Northern Afghan city Mazar-i-Sharif, which on Afghanistan, all major factions in the country, 1) it had recently conquered. The International Red and perhaps some outside powers including the Cross in Mazar-i-Sharif reported the death of United States. (NYT, 5 October, p. 9) 17 March hundreds of people in the fights, many of them Fatos Nano, hailed as Albania's peacemaker, Taliban. Meanwhile, the United Nations evacu- 18 November backed down from his demand that President ated tens of foreign relief workers and their As many as 2000 fighters from the Islamic Berisha resign immediately. Mr Nano, a former families to the neighbouring Oezbekistan. (NRC, Taliban movement were killed and buried in Socialist Prime Minister who was jailed for four 29 May, p. 4) mass graves after being taken prisoner in north- years by Mr Berisha on trumped-up charges, said ern Afghanistan, according to Gen. Rashid that free and fair elections were the ideal way to 23 July Dostum, one of the leaders of the forces that were depose the President. (LT, 18 March) The Taliban warriors that hold two thirds of driven out of the capital by the Taliban last year. Afghanistan, has lost territory to its opponents UN officials have demanded an explanation. Bashkim Fino, Albania's new Prime Minister, close to the north of the capital Kabul. (NRC, 24 (NYT, 18 November, p. 2) issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian aid July, p. 5) yesterday after food stocks fell to critical levels. 14 December The Intemational Committee of the Red Cross 26 July Iranian and American diplomats have been backed his appeal and called for funds to finance Taliban forces took heavy casualties and fell exploring ways to end the civil war in Afghani- emergency aid. The head of the European Union back in disarray to a front just north of the capi- stan. The meeting held at the UN is aimed at delegation in Tirana, the capital, refused to rule tal. The front line between the Taliban and the devising a power-sharing arrangement between out recommending that foreign troops be sent to forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud, a more moder- the militant Taliban movement that controls most safeguard the delivery of emergency supplies. ate Muslim leader once regarded as Afghani- of Afghanistan and a loose coalition of resistance (LT, 19 March) stan's wiliest military commander, now lies 10 to leaders in the north of the country. (NYT, 155 15 miles north of Kabul at the nearest point. December, p.12) 27 March Although Taliban forces continue to control at The Organisation for Security and Co-operation least two-thirds of the country, the new front in Europe (OSCE) gave its approval to the send- represents a humiliating setback since late May, ing of an international military force to Albania when they swept more than 250 miles north of on the condition that the Security Council of the Kabul into the city of Mazar-i-Sharif (NYT, 27 Albania UN agrees. The 54 members of the OSCE issued July, p. 1) a statement in which they state that they appre- ciate the attempt of a number of member states to 31 August 4 March form a military force for Albania. The military Afghanistan's Taliban Islamic movement said it The Italian minister of Foreign Affairs Dini told force should act in accordance with the Charter is ready to stop air strikes against foes and hold the authorities in Tirana that the Italian govern- of the UN and the principles of the OSCE. (NRC, unconditional peace talks with the two opposi- ment desires the formation of a government of 28 March, p. 4) tion groups. Taliban controlled Kabul radio said national unity in Albania. (NZZ, 5 March, p. 1) the offers were conveyed on Friday by a Taliban 28 March delegation, led by Wakil Ahmed to UN envoys 12 March The United Nations Security Council tonight Lakhdar Brahimi and Norbert Holl in Islamabad, More towns in southern Albania fell to anti- authorised the dispatch of a multinational force Pakistan's capital. Kabul radio says the Taliban's government rebels. In Kucove, about 60 miles of thousands of soldiers to Albania to oversee would be prepared to hold separate peace talks south of the capital, Tirana, armed local people relief efforts there and to encourage a return to with the ousted government 's military com- captured an air base and more than a dozen MIG order in a country mired in civil strife. There mander and the Shiite Muslim Hezb-1-Wahdat fighter jets. As the turmoil sped closer to Tirana, were 14 votes in favour and one abstention, faction of Arim Khalili even if the northern the Embassy of Italy - an ally of Albania's Presi- China, whose representative, Qin Huasun, said opposition leader Abdul Malik did not release dent - evacuated nonessential staff, as did France the crisis was 'in essence an internal Albanian Taliban prisoners. The group had said it would and Germany. (NYT, 12 March, p. 2) affair.' In Alhania, President Berisha renewed his not hold talks unless Malik released hundreds of 13 March call for aid, telling a delegation from the Euro- captured in May. (WP, 31 August, p. A31) Albania tumbled into anarchy as Tirana, the pean Union that an international force was 'indispensable to provide the necessary security' 1 September capital city, resounded with gunfire, armed bandits roamed the countryside, and panicked for relief operations in the anarchic conditions The leader of the Algerian banned Islamic Salva- prevailing over much of the country. With its tion Front has called for an immediate halt to the citizens - some on donkeys, some pulling wheel- baaows - stormed food warehouses and arms vote, the Security Council adopted a resolution bloodshed in North African country as a prelimi- drafted by Italy and put a stamp of international nary step towards dialogue with the authorities depots. Desperate political leaders in Albania pleaded for emergency help from NATO, the legitimacy on a plan to dispatch a 'temporary and (Ind., 1 September, p. 14; SZ, I September) limited multinational force to facilitate the safe and prompt delivery of humanitarian assistance.' 20 April gradual transition towards pluralism and possibly (NYT, 29 March, p. 4; NZZ, I April, p. 2) About half of the 6,000 foreign soldiers being an end to slaughter that has claimed an estimated sent to Albania with United Nations backing are 60,000 lives. Under auspices of the United 1 April setting up camp and beginning patrols, but there Nations more than 100 international monitors are Italy wants to start a multinational military is confusion about what else they are to do. in Algeria to observe the elections although their mission in Albania that will guarantee the distri- Ostensibly, the soldiers are to insure that aid sent ability to do so effectively is questionable given bution of food and medicine as soon as possible. to poor Albanians is not hijacked by armed the large security details tat follow them every- Prime Minister Prodi said that he hopes that this gangs, which have roamed the country since where they go. (WP, 7 June, p. A17 ; NYT , 5 mission can leave immediately, as Italy has been January, when several fraudulent investment June, p.3 ; NYT 7 June, p.3; TL, 7 June) ready to do so since 17 March.