Afghan leaders are preparing to open their traditional assembly loya jirga to choose an interim government, after differences over the role of the king appeared to delay proceedings. Former King Zahir Shah is scheduled to deliver the opening address at 1500 local time (1030 GMT) but has said he does not want to be the country's head of state again. He says he supports fully the candidature of the interim leader, Hamid Karzai, who has just one declared opponent - former President Burhanuddin Rabbani. The meeting will bring together more than 1,500 delegates from around Afghanistan and abroad into a large tent to discuss their country's future. The leaders, who are chosen by the locally-selected representatives, will steer a transitional regime until democratic elections are held in 2004.

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