The United Nation's secretary-general, Kofi Annan, says military opposition to the Taleban in Afghanistan has been largely eliminated except for the northern fighters commanded by General Ahmed Shah Masood.

However, he reported to the UN that the military success of the Taleban had not produced a political solution in the country.

Mr Annan said that the inability of the Afghan factions to agree was both the cause and the effect of what he called persistent outside interference in Afghanistan.

He proposed the creation of a unit of twelve human rights monitors to promote respect for what he called minimum humanitarian standards.