Officials Hopeful of Breakthrough for Hostages
By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
Afghan officials are hopeful of a breakthrough as negotiations for the release of 23 Korean hostages enter the seventh day Wednesday.
``The negotiations were in the `final stage,''' Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi was quoted as saying Wednesday by The Associated Press. Mainichi Shimbun also reported the 18 female hostages will likely be freed as the Taliban have never killed a woman, based on religious adherence to Islam.
The Taliban militants have difficulty in holding the 23 hostages because they don't have enough room to accommodate them for extended time, and the militants will finally release them, Asahi Shimbun reported.
In return for the release of the hostages, the Taliban demanded ransom, which is under discussion with the Korean and Afghan governments.
An official in Ghazni province where the Koreans are held hostage said the Taliban militants were demanding monetary payment for the release of the Koreans, AP reported. Japanese daily, Yomiuri Shimbun, reported that the Afghan government also suggested cash payment for the release of the hostages instead of swapping the hostages for Taliban prisoners.
Earlier, the Taliban demanded the Afghan government release the same number of Taliban prisoners in exchange for freeing the Korean hostages.
But the insurgents seemed to drop the swap demand because the Afghan government indicated that it will not accept it.
Abdul Khaliq, Afghan deputy interior minister, said Tuesday that his country will not make a deal with the Taliban ``against national interest and constitution.'' Afghan President Haid Karzai said in March, following the release of five Taliban prisoners for an Italian journalist, that his government would not make any more hostage deals.
Late Tuesday, the Taliban said they were ready to free eight out of the 23 Koreans in exchange for eight jailed Taliban militants and delivered a list of eight militants to the Afghan government. But the Taliban withdrew the list soon seemingly because the insurgents failed to unite on differing opinions for the negotiation, Yomiuri said.
However, Ahmadi said that the exchange of the eight militants and hostages is still valid and that the Taliban do not demand ransom for the release of the hostages, according to Yonhap new agency, Wednesday.
Officials in Seoul didn't confirm any demands from the Taliban for fear that any confirmation may negatively influence ongoing negotiations. They stressed a cautious approach to the issue considering its sensitivity.
Korean negotiators, accompanied by Afghan elders and clerics, began direct negotiation with the Taliban on Tuesday.
The Korean hostages _ 18 women and five men, mostly doctors and nurses in their 20s and 30s _ went to Afghanistan to offer volunteer medical services. Most of them are members of the Saemmul Community Church in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province.