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Afghanistan

Pak Urges World to Take Notice of Afghan Food Crisis

ISLAMABAD (Dec. 11) XINHUA - Pakistan Saturday said it shared the concern expressed by the World Food Program (WFP) regarding the severe food shortage in Afghanistan and urged the world community to take notice of the grave situation.

"Despite its own dependence on food import, Pakistan will try to help Afghanistan as much as possible to overcome this crisis," a Foreign Office spokesman said here in a statement.

He said an agreement is under negotiation for regular supply of wheat to Afghanistan.

"However, it is imperative that the international community take notice of this grave situation, which has been exacerbated by the recent U.N. sanctions, and rush emergency food aid to Afghanistan on humanitarian considerations."

According to the latest estimates, cereal deficit in Afghanistan in 1999-2000 is estimated to be about 1.1 million tons.

Only a part of this deficit that is 100,000 tons of wheat and other commodities, will be supplied by WFP this year, the spokesman said.

The WFP said Friday in a statement that millions of Afghans will face food shortage due to increasing wheat prices in the war- torn country. Enditem 11/12/99 12:08 GMT

Copyright (c) 1999 Comtex Scientific Corporation
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 12/11/1999 07:08:30