Filed at 2:30 a.m. ET

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- The United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic relations with the Taliban government of Afghanistan on Saturday, the official Emirates News Agency reported.

The move means that the Taliban is recognized as the Afghan government by only two nations, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The agency quoted an unidentified Foreign Ministry official as saying that the Emirates had failed to persuade the Taliban to comply with the U.N. Security Council resolution for it to hand over Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in last week's terror attacks in New York and Washington.

The decision to cut relations takes immediate effect, the agency reported.

Until today, the Taliban, a movement of hard-line Islamic militia that seized power in 1996, was recognized as the government by only three countries.

Other countries recognize the government-in-exile of President Burhanuddin Rabbani.