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SKorea in direct hostage talks
24/07/2007 17:09 - (SA)
Kandahar - A South Korean delegation held "direct" talks on Tuesday via tribal elders with Taliban militants who are holding 23 Korean nationals, officials and the insurgent group said.
The delegation led by the South Korean ambassador arrived on Tuesday in the southern province of Ghazni where the hostages are being held, following rebel demands for negotiations ahead of a sunset deadline.
"Yes, the South Korean delegation is in Ghazni. They've been in talks with the Taliban through the tribal chiefs," said provincial police chief Alishah Ahmadzai, who was involved in the talks.
Taliban spokesperson Yousuf Ahmadi confirmed his militant group was "directly" negotiating with the Korean delegation.
"We've established direct contact with the South Korean delegation through tribal elders," Ahmadi said by telephone from an unknown location.
"We hope this time the talks have a result," he said.
He did not provide further details but said the 14:30 GMT deadline for the Taliban's demands to be met was still in place.
The militants have threatened to kill the hostages unless 23 Taliban held by Afghan authorities are freed and South Korea pulls its troops out of Afghanistan.
Seoul has repeatedly said its 200 soldiers serving with a US-led coalition will leave by the year's end.
- AFP
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