Face-to-Face Negotiation Likely to Break Ice in 3-Week-Long Crisis
By Emal Pashtunyar in Kabul
Special to Korea Times
KABUL _ Face-to-face talks started Saturday morning (KST) for the release of 21 Korean hostages.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi told The Korea Times over the telephone that the negotiators _ Mullah Bashir and Mullah Nasrullah _ reached Ghazni City, the capital of Ghazni Province, for direct talks with the Korean officials.
Ahmadi said the negotiators were dispatched to Ghazni for the talks after getting a guarantee from the Afghan government that they would not be arrested by the security agencies. He said they were hopeful the talks would bear positive results.
Asked about health condition of the 21 hostages, the spokesman said the two seriously ill women were recovering now after they were treated with some medicine.
A source in Kabul privy to the negotiation process said the Taliban agreed Thursday to hold face-to-face talks at a secret place with the Korean delegation to reach a possible deal. However, the Korean side had withdrawn at the 11th hour for some unknown reasons.
Another source, close to the militants, confided to The Korea Times that the two sides are nearing a deal as some flexibility was visible in the stance of the Taliban over the previous few days.
He said some militant commanders are in favor of receiving huge sums in ransom from the Korean side. At the same time, they will agree on the release of some low ranking Taliban prisoners, who are nearing completion of their jail terms.
This will result in a win-win situation for the Taliban and the Afghan government, as the hostages, who are now completing their 22nd day in captivity, will also be released. The insurgents have so far killed two hostages, while the lives of the rest are at stake.
He said the Taliban did not want to hurt the hostages, especially the females. They want to strike some sort of deal now to set them free. The militants are fully aware of the possible reaction from Afghan society in case of any harm befalling any of the Korean women.
Earlier, it had been reported that the Taliban were desperately trying to strike some sort of a deal to set free the Koreans _ at least the women, who are now becoming a heavy burden.
Asked about a possible deal in the coming few days, an official at the governor's office in Ghazni Province, on the condition of anonymity, said the government may also agree if the militants show some flexibility in their demands.
He replied in the affirmative when asked if the government would agree to the release of some low-level Taliban prisoners if the other side amended their list of demands. The government would like to release those prisoners who are close to completing their jail term to create a win-win situation, he explained. ``This is the only possible way to secure the safe release of the hostages.''
Earlier, the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, his chief spokesman Humayun Hamidzada, Interior Ministry spokesman Zmaray Bashari and Governor Merajuddin Patan of Ghazni Province had categorically rejected a prisoners swap, saying that it would encourage the militants and create problems for the government both domestically and internationally.
A similar deal for the release of Italian journalist Danielle Mastrogiacomo subjected the Afghan government to severe criticism, especially from its main backer the United States.
However, under the present circumstances, the government position would be strong both domestically and internationally for not bowing to the militants' demands. No one _ at home or abroad _ would raise an accusing finger at the government for the release of prisoners who have already completed their jail term, the official argued.
At the same time, the step would be hailed for saving the lives of the hostages, he added.
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