Mullah Bashir who represents Taliban insurgents at the talks with South Korean delegation said Saturday that negotiation over the release of 21 Korean nationals is going on smoothly for the second day.
In a brief chat with journalists at the office of Afghan Red Crescent Society in Ghazni where the talks begun Friday, the bearded Bashir expressed hope it would led to the release all the hostages as well as the Taliban prisoners.
"The mode of talks is optimistic and we hope it would facilitate the release of 21 Korean hostages and the same number of Taliban," Bashir told newsmen.
Taliban militants who captured 23 Korean nationals including 18 women three weeks ago have so far executed two male hostages, warning to kill more if their demands which include the release of Taliban prisoners were ignored.
Afghan government has rejected the demand saying the swap of prisoners would encourage hostage taking industry. The government also has guaranteed not to harm the two-member Taliban delegation during the talks.
However, Mullah Bashir said that the direct talks which began with Korean delegation Friday can secure the release of all the 21 hostages soon.
If the direct talks succeed, "All the Koreans may be set free today or tomorrow," Bashir said.
No Korean or Afghan government officials were available to make comment.
Earlier, Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi has rejected the reported demand of ransom for the release of hostages saying it was the propaganda of the Ghazni governor Mirajudin Pathan to defame the Taliban.
Source: Xinhua
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