US President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have ruled out giving any concessions to the Taliban for the release of 21 South Korean nationals held by the militia in Afghanistans Ghazni Province.
Washington, Aug 7 : US President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have ruled out giving any concessions to the Taliban for the release of 21 South Korean nationals held by the militia in Afghanistan's Ghazni Province.
After two days of talks in the United States, both the leaders have vowed to put an 'end to the Taliban' in Afghanistan, adding that they said: "They would not bargain with the Taliban over 21 South Korean hostages."
During the talks at Camp David, Maryland, Karzai said that his government did not face a challenge from the Taliban as it was already a defeated force.
Karzai has refused to swap prisoners for hostages, after he was criticised for releasing five Taliban members from jail in March in exchange for an Italian reporter.
"Both leaders agreed that in negotiations for the release, there should be no quid pro quo for the hostages," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe was quoted by BBC, as saying.
The Taliban cannot be emboldened by this, Johndroe added.
The 23 Korean Christian aid workers - 18 of them women - were held captive on July 19 as they were travelling on a bus down the Kabul-Kandahar Highway.
The kidnappers have shot dead two male hostages after Kabul refused to give in to their demand and free Taliban prisoners.
"President Bush expressed strong sympathy towards the relatives of the Koreans, especially to those Koreans whose lives have already been lost," Johndroe said.
In Seoul, families of the South Korean hostages have made a fresh appeal for their release.
On Monday, about 100 protesters demonstrated near the US embassy and handed a letter for Bush.
"The government wanted to 'work separately' from the Bush-Karzai summit to resolve the issue of the captive Christian aid workers," a South Korean presidential spokesman said.
The two leaders also discussed several issues, including Afghan security, booming trade in illegal drugs, a resurgent Taliban and civilian killings.
Karzai said he had broached the subject of the growing number of civilians killed in US and Nato military operations in Afghanistan with President Bush.
ANI