Finchley: Former acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Ahmadshah Ahamdzai, is hoping to leave his new home in the borough to play a role in the reconstruction of his country.

Mr Ahmadzai, who lives in Finchley, was running Afghanistan just three months before the Taliban seized power in 1996. Now he expects to take part in a post-Taliban broad-based government in Afghanistan and has been in touch with former colleagues.

"They are saying that they are working in consent with tribal leaders and the previous parties on how the new government should be formed. They are busy in consultation."

He said that he expects to be invited to 'our big gathering' when all ethnic and political groups in Afghanistan will be represented, but not the small scheduled meeting in Germany of Northern Alliance factions.

He said he would participate in the new government, if he was asked to do so.

"We only have a few educated people in Afghanistan," he said. "We the educated should not miss this opportunity, we should help our people."

Despite being 'very happy' with recent advances by anti-Taliban forces, which were largely a result of American bombing, he is still very much against the bombing campaign.

"It will be okay if they just stop bombing the areas they are now bombing. I don't think their people the Taliban are there," he said.

November 22, 2001 16:00