The new UN special envoy for Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell, has held talks in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, with members of the government ousted by the Taleban militia now in power in Kabul.

Mr Vendrell, who was appointed last month, met the former President, Burhanuddin Rabbani, and his most senior military commander Ahmad Shah Masood.

The alliance, which consists of a number of ethnic minority groups, said they had discussed the need for a broad-based government in Afghanistan to pave the way for a peaceful solution.

"We promised that we would co-operate with him the way we did with his predecessors," said opposition spokesman Abdullah Abdullah.

"We believe in peace and are convinced that the Afghan issue does not have military solution."

Mr Abdullah also denied any involvement by the opposition alliance in the hijack of the state-owned Ariana Airlines plane.

UN role

The opposition alliance is made up of ethnic Tajiks, Uzbeks and other minorities in Afghanistan. They hold a mere 10% of the country, with the rest under control of the Taleban.

But the Taleban have been unable to push out the opposition from northern Afghanistan.

Mr Abdullah said the UN should play a role in resolving the conflict.

"There are two obstacles to peace: first one is the Taleban's choice of military solution and the second one is Pakistan's backing of this option," he said.

'Negative attitudes'

Previous UN efforts to mediate through at least half a dozen envoys have failed.

Mr Vendrell's predecessor, Lakhdar Brahimi quit his position last October saying he was disappointed at the negative attitudes of the Afghan parties, particularly the Taleban.

He said in Afghanistan one party always opted for a military solution because it believed it was stronger than the other.

The Taleban overthrew Burhanuddin Rabbani in 1996 and imposed their rule over most of Afghanistan.