A week later, hostages stay where they are

A week later, hostages stay where they are
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 30: The talks to resolve the hijack crisis were "extremely delicately poised", on Thursday night after having run into an impasse. Earlier in the day, the hijackers had allowed an Indian hostage out of the plane for treatment. The passenger had to however return without being treated as Red Cross authorities made it clear that the ailing hostage would not be sent back. Meanwhile, Anil Khurana, who was released from the plane because of his failing health, returned to New Delhi on Thursday night from Islamabad.

The tense and tough negotiations between a team of Indian officials and the hijackers in Kandahar continued till 2 am on Wednesday which had even led to apprehensions that there may be no resumption of negotiations, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had said after a cabinet meeting.

In a dramatic move on Thursday, Taliban commandos in battle fatigue armed with Kalashnikov rifles, rocket launchers and stinger missiles surrounded the aircraft and took up positions but their Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil denied they were planning "any operation". Singh said following these additional security measures efforts were made to resume the dialogue which was done. "The negotiations are now extremely delicately poised," he told reporters without elaborating. In a related development, a sick Indian hostage S Brara was allowed to disembark for 90 minutes for treatment of a stomach ailment. He has since reboarded the aircraft. Singh said the hijackers did not permit Brara to be treated at nearby International Committee of the Red Cross Centre as ICRC made it clear that once with them the hostage would not be allowed to return to the plane.

He denied reports that Taliban authorities had set a time-frame for resolution of the hijack crisis or for the aircraft to leave the Afghan soil. Taliban's foreign minister Abdul Wakil Muttawakil however maintains that the negotiations with the hijackers `went well'' even though no breakthrough was made.

``Today was a busy day for both sides, a promising day. The talks went well but due to some considerations I cannot disclose details of developments,'' Abdul Wakil Muttawakil told a news conference, here today. ``Our main difficulty as before is what will happen, supposedly if India releases the prisoners. What will happen to the prisoners and hijackers, where they will go?'' he said. UN coordinator for Afghanistan Erick de Mul, who returned to Kandahar from Islamabad with a consignment of food and water for the hostages, said the negotiations had now entered a most crucial phase and it was very important for everybody to keep his cool at this stage.

Meanwhile, the cabinet committee on security, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, reviewed the hijack crisis. Later, Vajpyaee called on president K R Narayanan to brief him on the hostage situation.

Taliban wants Rs 10 lakh as parking fees
NEW DELHI: Taliban authorities have sought $ 25,000 (over Rs 10 lakh) from India as landing charges for the relief aircraft which has flown to Kandahar with a relief team for the hostages. Official sources said the Taliban authorities had conveyed this to the Indian delegation, which has gone to Kandahar to negotiate the release of passengers of IC-814 hijacked last Friday. An A-320 Indian Airlines relief aircraft had carried a 52-member team of negotiators, doctors, engineers and additional crew members to Kandahar airport on December 27.

The total charges per landing of an aircraft in India, which depend on the plane's weight, stand at Rs 54,800, besides the parking fees. Aviation sources said the rates charged by the Taliban authorities were "extremely exorbitant". However, Civil Aviation Secretary Ravindra Gupta, while replying to questions, said "they (Taliban) have demanded some sum for landing, navigation and parking. There is no point in comparing that charge with what India charges for the same purpose".