KABUL/SEOUL - The purported The spokesman said that the phone conversation was held between the South Korean ambassador to Kabul and a representative of the Taleban rebels after the South Korean government announced its readiness for direct negotiations. “Today there was a contact via telephone,” Taleban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yusif Ahmadi told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa by phone from an undisclosed location. “Actually they have not asked us for face-to-face talk yet, and if they ask us for a meeting and specify the place and time, our representatives are in Ghazni, they are ready to meet them.”
| Exactly where in Ghazni? |
He said the South Korean side had promised them to try to convince the Afghan and US governments to accept their demands of a prisoner exchange.
Ahmadi emphasized that they would not offer any substitute demand other than eight of their jailed comrades. “There will be no change in our demands. Now they (the Koreans) should ask the international community for assistance. They should pressure the Americans and ask (United Nations Secretary-General) Ban Ki-Moon for help.”
| Anything to prolong the problem and make the Talibunnies look tough. |
“South Korea and the United States agreed to rule out any military operations,” Song told reporters after the meeting, according to Yonhap. “I think the cooperation between South Korea and the United States in sharing information is going very well. The countries will continue to work to solve the hostage crisis at an early date and safely,” he said.
| Keep saying that no military operation is in the cards, and keep planning one. |