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Protests from the world over mounted against the Taliban militia's order to destroy ancient Buddha statues. U N Secretary General, Kofi Annan expressed deep concern, urging the Taliban to do all in their power to preserve the unique and irreplaceable relics of Afghanistan's rich heritage. Angelo Gabriele de Ceglie, Italy's ambassador to Pakistan and a representative of the Society for the Preservation of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage said that it was a great loss, a tragedy for the Afghan people and for the world. He made the comments in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. Paris-based UNESCO in a statement called out for the preservation of cultural heritage landmarks in Afghanistan. "Afghanistan, situated at a crucial junction on the ancient Silk Roads, has a unique cultural heritage, which reflects a history marked by the complex influences of Persia, Greece, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam,'' it said. Other Afghans also expressed outrage at the Taliban order. Hamid Karzai, a former deputy foreign minister in the ousted government of Burhanuddin Rabbani, condemned the order saying the statues are no longer a part of religion but are now a part of the country's heritage and history, like the tombs of Egypt's ancient Pharaohs. "Afghanistan has been a staunch Muslim country for1,200 years and the mullahs (Islamic clerics) have never tried to destroy these statues,'' he said. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who is in the UAE on a three-day goodwill visit, said he had taken prompt action to prevent such a catastrophe. He has issued instructions to the Heads of the Sri Lankan Missions in India, Thailand, Myanmar and Nepal to have urgent consultations with the respective authorities of these countries in order to work out a common strategy to safeguard these ancient statues.
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