Former Afghan president in Dushanbe

(10 Oct 2001)

1. Exterior building Presidential palace in Dushanbe
2. Two-shot of Tajikistan President Emomali Rakhmonov and Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
3. Close-up shot of Emomali Rakhmonov
4. Close-up shot of Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
5. Cutaway of photographer
6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
"Concerning the decision about the war against terrorism and concerning the US actions, we have been supportive of that decision from the beginning and we think that the centre of the terrorism in Afghanistan should be destroyed."
7. Cutaway to wide shot of journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
"We want our country to get rid of terrorists and the people's enemies and we want people to decide and to participate in the future government of Afghanistan and to decide about the destiny of our country."
9. Cutaway to reporter asking question
10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
"We in Afghanistan and the people in the republic of Tajikistan have been warning the whole region and the world about the danger to the whole world."
11. Cutaway to reporter making notes
12. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Borhanoddin Rabani, exiled President of Afghanistan
"Mohammad Zaher Shah (former King) is one of the citizens of Afghanistan and he can come to the country as any other citizen can come to Afghanistan and he can talk about the future of Afghanistan. But the future leader of Afghanistan is not Mohammad Zaher Shah, it should be the council and the council will decide about the future of Afghanistan."
13. Borhanoddin Rabani walking away

STORYLINE:

Exiled Afghan leader Burhanuddin Rabbani met Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov on Wednesday to discuss the US operation against the Taliban, the Islamic militia that rules Afghanistan.

A Tajik government spokesman said Rabbani was feeling slightly ill after the flight.

But he still went ahead with meeting the president in Rakhmonov's residence in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, a poor former Soviet republic that borders northern Afghanistan.

Rabbani is still recognised by the United Nations as the president of Afghanistan.

The exiled leader had a number of issues to discuss with Rakhmonov, including fighting between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban, as well as the growing number of Afghan refugees moving toward the Tajik border.

Rabbani and Rakhmonov are both ethnic Tajiks.

But Tajikistan is in no position to provide much concrete help for the Alliance.

Rakhmonov is wary of any upheaval that could threaten his presidency and has said he does not want Afghan refugees entering Tajik territory.

Rabbani, 61, was driven from Kabul in 1996 and has largely lived in exile since.

Rabbani's government was a collection of warring groups.

The former enemies have united under the banner of the Alliance.

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