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Annan Appeals to Taliban Over Detained Aid Workers
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 17 (News Agencies) - U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan appealed Friday to the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan to allow diplomats consular access to eight foreign aid workers accused of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.
In a statement through his spokesman, Annan said he "regrets that, contrary to customary international law, consular access and legal representation for the detainees have been denied."
Australian, German and U.S. diplomats arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Tuesday, but have been thwarted in efforts to access to eight of their citizens, who are being held along with 16 local staff of the Shelter Now International organization.
The diplomats told reporters in Kabul the Taliban had advised them to leave the country, and appeared to be in no mood to allow them to visit the two Americans, two Australians and four Germans until police investigations are over.
But the diplomats vowed Friday to press on with efforts to meet with the aid workers.
"We have dialogue now and I think we will continue the dialogue to try and establish protocols or conventions so that we can get access to our citizens," said Australian consul Alastar Adams.
"This is the first serious incident in which the Australian government is involved with the Taliban authorities and it may not be the last."
The U.S., Australian and German diplomats arrived here on Tuesday, more than a week after the aid workers, staff of German-based group Shelter Now, were arrested for allegedly trying to convert Afghan Muslims.
"I think that the Taliban believes in a system of prevention and cure and by making an example of these people, they will avoid this happening again," Adams said.
"They want to put psychological pressure on the detainees."
American diplomat David Donahue said the Taliban had already ruled out consular access while investigations are ongoing and he believed they would not back down.
"It would be an embarrassment for them if they allow us after telling us that they would give us a visa only to meet Taliban officials and not to see the detainees," he said.
Annan's spokesman said "the secretary general appeals to the Taliban for a speedy solution in line with international norms and obligations."
Denying access and legal representation to the accused "gives a signal that could have severe consequences on critical humanitarian assistance at a time when Afghans are suffering the combined effects of war, extreme poverty, massive displacement and severe drought," he added.
Spokesman Manoel De Almeida e Silva said the statement was not a veiled threat to halt humanitarian aid.
"We are talking about the conditions for people working there, which could have consequences for humanitarian assistance," he said.
A Taliban foreign ministry official said Thursday the religious police were conducting their investigation "very patiently" and "they don't want any interruption in their work by the visit of these diplomats."
He said every aid agency in the war-torn country, including the United Nations, was under suspicion.
"The Afghan nation looks at this issue very seriously because this is an issue of religion and faith," said Abdurrahman Hotak, chief of the foreign missions department of the foreign ministry.
"We have not asked the diplomats to leave the country but only told them that the purpose of their visit, to negotiate with the authorities of the Taliban militia, is finished," he said.
He also made it clear the detainees could not send letters to their families until the investigation was over.
On Thursday, the U.S. insisted that one of its diplomats would stay put in Kabul to insist on access to the two American aid workers despite the Taliban's suggestion that there was no point.
The State Department said Islamabad consul-general Donahue would stay until the standoff was resolved.
"Mr. Donahue is staying in Kabul and will continue to press for access to the detainees," said State Department spokesman Philip Reeker.
"Our number one interest here, of course, is access to our citizens, to see that they are being treated fairly and that they're in good shape."
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