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Taliban-China deal puzzles diplomats

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

The diplomatic community in South Asia is puzzled by a military co-operation agreement signed between the Taliban militia in Afghanistan and the People's Republic of China.

Diplomatic sources said the agreement was signed on December 10 and that the agreement was not signed between the two governments but between the Taliban military commanders and representatives of China's People's Liberation Army.

According to the agreement, the PLA has agreed to:
i) Repair and maintain equipment captured by the Taliban militia from adversaries.
ii) The PLA would assist in raising and training the Taliban armed forces. Initial, 25,000 troops are to be trained.
iii) The PLA would provide training facilities for the Taliban's air force pilots.
iv) The PLA would provide from its own funds about 10 million US dollars to improve infrastructure for the Taliban armed forces.
v) Initial training and maintenance of equipment are to done at Taxila in Pakistan.

In return, the Taliban has given an undertaking that it will not provide any training to Chinese Muslims in China's Xinjiang province and that it will assist the Chinese authorities maintain places of worship and madrasas as in China.

Diplomatic sources indicated that the agreement has been brokered by Pakistan to provide the Taliban with some sorely-needed legitimacy. The Chinese authorities have yielded to pressure from Islamabad since Beijing has found it difficult to control the unrest among the Uiigur Muslims in Xinjiang. They said if the Chinese deal with the Taliban works, Beijing would be able to get matters settled without "actually dirtying its hands".

Senior Indian diplomats pointed out that the agreement provides an outlet for the Taliban to launder its drug money through Chinese banks. The Taliban has indicated it's positive about this opening the Chinese has given it and the militia is currently willing to meet any demands from Beijing.

There are indications that the Taliban militia may open an office in Beijing to meet the requirements of Chinese personnel who wish to visit Kandahar, Kabul and other important places in Afghanistan.

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