Kabul again rules out prisoner exchange

GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Saturday (AFP) - An Afghan negotiator again ruled out today an exchange of Taleban prisoners to free 21 South Korean hostages, whose families made a new appeal for their release. Negotiations over the church aid workers were being conducted mainly by a South Korean delegation, said parliamentarian Mahmood Gailani, who last week described the Afghan side's talks with Taleban as “stuck.”

“They can only talk about money, ransom,” he told AFP, referring to the militants. “Not only the Americans are opposed to an exchange of prisoners, it's against the policy of the government.” The Taleban originally kidnapped 23 South Koreans but killed two of them and have threatened to execute more of the hostages, whose health is said to be deteriorating, unless at least eight of their men are released from jail.

Elder sister Shim Hyeon-Jeong (L) and mother Kim Mi-Ok of Shim Sung-min, 29, the second of the hostages killed by the Islamic militants in Afghanistan cry during his funeral in Seongnam yesterday. AFP

The United States was the leading critic of a prisoner exchange in March that freed an Italian hostage but is now seen as having encouraged a recent rash of abductions, some said to have been carried out by criminals.

A 62-year-old German engineer is being held, along with four Afghans, by separate militants who are believed to be closely linked to the Taleban. He was seized July 18 with another German, who collapsed and was then shot dead.

Seoul last week sent eight senior legislators to lobby Washington for help over the hostage crisis, which is likely to feature in talks due to start Sunday between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US President George W. Bush.

The Taleban said after their latest deadline expired on Wednesday they had not killed any more hostages because they were hoping for results from talks with the South Koreans.

“They told us that they are in negotiations with the Afghan and American governments to convince them to free Taleban prisoners in exchange for the South Korean hostages,” spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said Friday. Ahmadi said a Taleban delegation was ready to meet the South Koreans face-to-face -- in another country if necessary as long as the United Nations guaranteed the “safe return” of its negotiators.