Taliban leaders are deciding what to do with 21 Korean hostages after Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US President George Bush ruled out making any concessions to free them, one of the kidnappers said on Tuesday.
"We know about their comments and will decide what to do next," said a Taliban commander who holds a group of four of the hostages. He said the Taliban leadership would make the decision on the fate of the Christian volunteers.
The commander, who declined to be named, said talks were still going on with South Korean diplomats in the region who are trying to secure the release of the 18 women and three men.
Speaking to Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location, he repeated the Taliban line that Bush and Karzai would be held responsible for whatever happens to the Koreans if the Afghan government does not release jailed Taliban members.
Bush and Karzai, who met on Monday, have bluntly refused to meet the rebels' demands.
"Both leaders agreed that in negotiations for the release, there should be no quid pro quo for the hostages. The Taliban are brutal and should not be emboldened by this," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
In Seoul, where the South Korean government is under intense domestic pressure to secure the release of the hostages, their families issued a plea to Bush and Karzai to help free them.
"We sincerely ask you, with tears in our eyes, to understand the noble intention of the Korean volunteers who, despite all the dangers and difficulties, wanted to spread sharing and love in a place battered by poverty and conflicts," the said.
The kidnappers have already shot dead two male hostages and have repeatedly threatened to kill the rest of the captives if their demands are not met.
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Taliban officials have said two of the female hostages were seriously ill, but South Korea's foreign minister said none of the captives were in a life-threatening condition.
"The hostages can't be perfectly healthy after nearly 20 days in captivity," the ministry quoted Song Min-soon as telling local reporters. But he added: "There are no signs of health problems that could pose a threat to their safety."
