Hand over bin Laden, warns UN

Osama bin Laden is a "guest" in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Taleban rulers have been warned they may face more sanctions unless they hand over Saudi Islamic militant Osama bin Laden.

The United Nations Security Council said after a debate that it was ready "to consider the imposition of further targeted measures ... with the aim of achieving full implementation of all its relevant resolutions."

The Taleban has already refused to hand over Mr bin Laden, saying he is their guest.

He is wanted by the United States on charges of masterminding the bombing in 1998 of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

The United Nations Security Council imposed an air embargo and financial sanctions on Afghanistan last November.

It threatened to increase them on 3 March but did not carry it through.

Women's rights

Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy accused the Taleban of behaving like a criminal gang and called for an arms embargo to be imposed on Afghanistan.

This has been rejected in the past as being nearly impossible to enforce, even if members could agree.

Mr Axworthy condemned the Taleban

He also announced a $300,000 donation to a UN Human Rights Trust Fund to help non-governmental groups continue activities in Afghanistan on behalf of women.

The Taleban, he said, had carried out a "systematic pattern of violation of the human rights of half the population - women and girls - a violation that the Taleban misrepresents as having religious foundation."

During a debate, council members condemned what they called the Taleban's systematic pattern of discrimination under the guise of religion, depriving women of work, education and health care.