The World - News from Dec. 6, 1988

Afghan guerrillas and Soviet officials ended their first face-to-face peace talks with the rebels reportedly softening their objections to an international conference on Afghanistan. Sources close to the Afghan delegation to the talks in Saudi Arabia said the guerrillas agreed to study the conference proposal but demanded that Islamic nations be allowed to participate. The Saudis, who support the guerrillas, have linked formation of diplomatic ties with Moscow--after a 50-year break--to termination of Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. The Soviets, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yuli M. Vorontsov, left the mountain resort of Taif, where the talks were held, and met with King Fahd in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The Soviets and Afghans are expected to meet again in Pakistan at a later date.