The New York Times

Sunday, October 24, 1999

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said Saturday that it would be willing to talk with the United States and that the agenda could include the suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.

The American Government says bin Laden masterminded the twin bombings of Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania last year and wants him deported from Afghanistan to the United States to stand trial. On Monday, a senior American official is to meet the Taliban's representative in Washington.

The United Nations is threatening sanctions on the Taliban if they do not hand over bin Laden by Nov. 14, a deadline Kabul has rejected.