Former Afghan king offers peace plan

Representatives of the former Afghan King, Zahir Shah have met opposition leaders to win support for his plan to end the long-running civil war.

The meeting between the king's representatives and members of the opposition Northern Alliance took place in Faizabad in north-east Afghanistan.

King Zahir Shah has called for a traditional gathering of tribes - known as a Loya Jirga - which, he says, could heal the country's divisions.

The team are trying to persuade the factions to allow the former king who has been in exile in Rome since 1973 to play an active role to end the fighting.

The Taleban rejected a similar move by Zahir Shah's aides earlier this year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service