 RFE/RL Afghanistan Report 24.06.2009 A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Afghanistan.For more stories on Afghanistan, please visit and bookmark our Afghanistan page . |
 Kremlin Approved U.S.-Kyrgyz Agreement On Manas A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry has said the recent agreement between the United States and Kyrgyzstan on the use of the Manas air base is a domestic issue for Kyrgyzstan, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More  Afghan Presidential Campaign Under Way, Underwhelmingly The campaign for Afghanistan's August 20 presidential election is gathering momentum in Kabul. Election posters for incumbent President Hamid Karzai and his 40 challengers compete for space and attention on the city’s walls and lamp posts. But some in Kabul are calling for a delay in the election as concern mounts about what is happening -- or not happening -- in the country's south and east. More  'Hidden Treasures' Seeks To Reveal Another Afghanistan A major art exhibit opens in New York this week. Hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it features artifacts that span five millennia of culture. Much of the art is on display after being hidden for the past quarter-century of Afghanistan's tumultuous history, and presumed destroyed or stolen. More With the 60-day election campaign in Afghanistan under way, some of the 41 presidential candidates and their supporters are making good use of YouTube. More  U.S., Kyrgyz Strike Deal On Key Air Base Washington and Bishkek have reportedly drafted a breakthrough deal that would allow U.S. troops supplying their mission in Afghanistan to continue using a key Kyrgyz facility. Reaction in Moscow is unlikely to be as positive as in Kabul and Ankara. More  Afghan Gandhi? While thousands of Western troops are deployed to Afghanistan to provide security for the August 20 presidential election, there is one Afghan candidate who is not deterred by any security fears. More  Afghan, Pakistani Tribal Areas 'Must' Work Regionally As a senior official of Pakistan's States and Frontier Regions Ministry, Imran Zeb Khan oversees Islamabad's political and administrative policies regarding the country's western border regions. Seen as a base for Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and other extremist groups, those areas are now the focus of much international attention. Khan talks to RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique in Berlin about some of the most critical issues in the region. More  Music Rights Advocate: 'It's Really Sad...What We Have Seen In Afghanistan' Marie Korpe is the executive director of Freemuse, which advocates for freedom of expression for artists and against music censorship around the world. She recently spoke to RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique about the challenges facing musicians and other artists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. More  Ethnomusicologist Discusses Taliban Vs. Musicians Renowned British ethnomusicologist John Baily speaks to RFE/RL about the Taliban's campaign against music and musicians in Afghanistan and Pakistan. "It isn't actually correct to say the Taliban have banned music," he notes. More  Peshawar Musicians, Singers, Artists 'In Panic' Peshawar has earned endearing names like "Lotus Land" and "City of Flowers" in its 1,000-year history. But the bustling center of Pakistani culture now represents the threat faced by artists throughout the country. More  Karzai Alliances With Warlords Raise Concerns Opinion polls suggest Hamid Karzai is well ahead of rival candidates in the upcoming Afghan election. But one of his key election maneuvers is raising critical questions about governance, accountability, and the rule of law. More |
