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Afghan interim leader denies King's return could be delayed

Afghanistan's interim leader Hamid Karzai has denied that the return to Afghanistan of former King Mohammed Zahir Shah could be delayed for around a month.

Italy's Foreign Ministry has said the 87-year old former King's return would be postponed until the end of April.

However Mr Karzai says, as far as he's concerned, the trip has only been postponed two or three days.

The former monarch has lived in exile in Italy since he lost power in a bloodless coup in 1973.

The Afghan government is hoping his return as a father-figure will help unite rival ethnic groups under a single national banner.

24/03/2002 15:30:42 | ABC Radio Australia News

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