Taleban leaders in Afghanistan say they have agreed in principle with proposals from the anti-Taleban alliance that could restore peace to the country.

They have agreed to form a commission of Islamic scholars from both sides to try to end the country's civil war.

Thousands have been left homeless by the civil war

The proposal was made at a meeting between Taleban's supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and Pakistan's top Foreign Ministry official Shamshad Ahmad in the southern Afghan town of Kandahar,

A Taleban spokesman said Mullah Omar told Pakistani officials that if they were able to approve all members of the commission, the Taleban would accept any decision it made.

The move follows a rare visit to Pakistan last week by one of the leaders of the anti-Taleban alliance, the ousted President Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Proposals could end civil war

Mr Rabbani is part of an alliance fighting the Taleban, which control two-thirds of Afghanistan.

There has also been talk of fresh hopes for peace from the United Nations special envoy Norbert Holl, who is ending his assignment in Afghanistan.

He called recent developments, including meetings of all Afghanistan's neighbours with the United States and Russia, very positive.

He said there was hope for peace in Afghanistan when he began his mission in July 1996. He went on to say that, after a period of failures, "now we are again in a somewhat comparable situation".

While the opposition alliance accuses Pakistan of backing the Taleban, the Taleban accuses Iran of helping its opponents based in the north.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the only three countries which recognise the Taleban.
 

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