Posted on 08/02/2007 12:10:15 PM PDT by Froufrou
South Korean and Afghan officials searched for a meeting place Thursday after agreeing to hold face-to-face talks with the Taliban to seek the release of the remaining 21 South Korean captives, a chief negotiator said.
A delegation of eight South Korean lawmakers, meanwhile, departed for Washington on Thursday to urge the United States to help negotiate the release of the hostages. Earlier South Korean diplomatic efforts have failed to bend Afghanistan's refusal to respond to Taliban demands for the release of militant prisoners.
The Taliban captors have agreed to meet with South Korea's ambassador but have not found a suitable place, said Waheedullah Mujadidi, head of a delegation negotiating with the Taliban.
A purported Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, denied the South Koreans had requested direct talks with the militants. But he said the militants would be willing to hold such a meeting in Taliban-controlled territory.
The Taliban "want to negotiate directly with the Koreans because the Kabul administration is not sincere about releasing the Taliban prisoners," Ahmadi told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I hope the South Koreans bring guns. Lots of guns. That way the Taliban won’t need a translator.
He’s probably bringing his checkbook too, just like the Italians did for the idiot journalist in Iraq.
I can’t fathom how this can turn out well.
Why are there any Taliban left?
My real fear is for the envoys to be reunited with the detained Koreans - on the wrong side of the gate!
That’s very civilized of the South Koreans, but that won’t work with the people they’re dealing with.
I’m thinking you are way, way correct in that statement.
Would that that were so. There wouldn't be enough left of the Taliban to fill a dustpan.
L
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