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| Africa North |
| Experts to back up efforts of releasing the two hostages |
| 2008-03-22 |
| The optimism of the Austrian Authorities, in terms of releasing the two hostages, Andrea Kloiber and Aolfgang Ebner, seems fading away following the statements being delivered by the Austrian envoy to Mali last Thursday, saying they were likely to be released yesterday, while the Malian President has announced that experts in kidnapping issues are to back up authorities. The spokesman for the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry has excluded releasing the two Austrian nationals’ kidnapped southern Tunisia in 14 February. However, the Italian Press Agency AKI quoted him saying: “our Ambassador to France is still pursuing talks with different parties and mediators’ representative in Algeria, Tunisia and Mali,” in the frame of efforts targeting to persuade kidnappers release safely and unconditionally the two hostages, excluding, implicitly, to pay any ransom. As far as the period, negotiations are to last, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman told journalists: “contacts are to be pursued on different levels and with all the concerned parties, even in the Easter Day period.” The same source further mentioned that experts from Austrian Foreign Affairs and Interior ministries are pursuing following up the development of kidnapping issue which enters its first month. However, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman statements have come following reassurances of the negotiations’ leader from Bamako, the Austrian Ambassador Anton Prohaska while declaring to journalists that Easter Day “is likely to be an occasion for releasing them,” without giving further details. |
| Posted by:Fred |