China closes Afghan border region to journalists

[Ken Hanly]

I just listened to a CBC reporter in Quetta near the border the Pakistan,
Afghanistan border. Foreign journalists had been locked in their hotels and
not allowed to the border. The border is now sealed. Before it was
officially closed but some trade was allowed.'

Cheers, Ken Hanly

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ulhas Joglekar" <uvj at vsnl.com>
To: "lbo-talk" <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2001 10:35 PM
Subject: China closes Afghan border region to journalists

The Times of India

MONDAY, OCTOBER 08, 2001

China closes Afghan border region to journalists

BEIJING: China has banned foreign journalists from a region bordering on
Afghanistan amid anticipation of US attacks on terrorist targets in
Afghanistan.

In a brief notice sent to resident foreign journalists in China over the
weekend, the foreign ministry's International Press Center said the
Tashkorgan region was closed to ensure reporters' safety.

While Beijing says the region is calm, China is wary of any outbreak of
Islamic extremism within its territory brought on by US attacks on
Afghanistan. Beijing fears anger over the attacks could exacerbate
anti-government sentiments among many Muslims in its Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous region where Tashkorgan is located.

China's narrow border with Afghanistan is closed and Chinese troops guarding
the mountainous frontier have been reinforced to ward off military
incursions and stem potential refugee flows.

Reporters would be notified when the region is reopened, the foreign
ministry said.
( AP )

Copyright © 2001 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.