Ex-king seeks Afghan revival

The former king is concerned by the plight of his people

The former king of Afghanistan has said he would be prepared to return to his country to end "30 years of cruelty".

I could not get rid of the images. I wish that such a thing would never happen in any country in the world

Mohammed Zahir Shah on suicide attacks

In his first broadcast interview since he fell from power in the 1970s, King Mohammad Zahir Shah explained that his first concern was not the war on terrorism, but the plight of his own people.

He compared the Taleban to an occupying force, and said he wanted a Loya Jirga - a national assembly of Afghan leaders - to be called to discuss the future of Afghanistan and draw up a new, democratic constitution.

Mohammed Zahir Shah, now 86, condemned the terrorist attacks on America and indicated he would be prepared to accept foreign troops on Afghan soil.

Foreign intervention

Speaking through an interpreter from his home in Rome on Tuesday, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The intervention of foreign troops in any country is something that's not easy to accept.

"But if it's an intervention such as we witnessed in Europe with the Second World War when the British, the Americans and the Canadians came down in France to get rid of the Nazis, this is different.

"It has to be performed by a country that has proved it is a friend to the people and it has helped the freely-elected government in the country."

Ousted in a coup

The former king said the people of Afghanistan should vote for either a republic or a monarchy.

Many Afghans would oppose a US-imposed government

"Even if it's a monarchy it will depend entirely on the people," he said.

The former king, who was head of state for 40 years until overthrown in coup in 1973, said he had written to President Bush to convey his condolences.

"This event was something very saddening, not just for the country where it took place, but for all of us," he said.

"It affected me so deeply that I tried very hard, but I could not get rid of the images. I wish that such a thing would never happen in any country in the world."

'No puppet regime'

Zahir Shah, who has lived in Rome ever since the coup, said if Osama Bin Laden was behind the attacks he should be brought to justice.

On Tuesday, the former king met America's most senior diplomat in Italy, US Charge d'Affaires in Rome William Pope, to assess the situation in Afghanistan.

It is one of many meetings the US has been holding with Afghan opposition groups and individuals since the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September.

In Afghanistan, Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar warned on Tuesday against any foreign government trying to install a puppet regime in Afghanistan to replace the Taleban.

He said any foreign power in the past which had tried to install a proxy government had paid a heavy price.