Talks continue to settle Afghan question.

Two high-level UN officials--Benon Sevan, Personal Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Giandomenico Picco, Assistant for Special Assignments, Executive Office of the Secretary-General--arrived in Moscow on 10 March for talks with Soviet authorities concerning a political settlement of the Afghan question. The meetings were part of the regular ongoing contacts with the Soviet Government that had begun in 1989.

Later in March, Mr. Sevan met with Pakistan President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Foreign Secretary Shaheryar Khan. He also consulted with Afghan resistance leaders.

Before leaving for Moscow, Mr. Sevan had met with President Najibullah of Afghanistan in Kabul and with Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan in Islamabad.

Also in March, Afghanistan alleged that "extremist" Afghan opposition and Pakistani forces had attacked the province of Khost and certain points along the Afghanistan-Pakistani border.

Both Afghanistan and Pakistan wanted a UN mission to look into the situation. On 1 April, the Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the continued fighting and loss of lives and devastation in Afghanistan. All Afghans should put their national interest above all other interests to resolve their differences through a political process, to ensure the exercise of their right to self-determination and establish a broad-based government, which would enjoy the confidence of the vast majority of the Afghan people.

Appeal for aid

On 26 February, Mr. Sevan appealed to the international community for additional contributions for...

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