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Diplomats Appeal For Red Cross Access To Aid Workers In Kabul
ISLAMABAD, Aug 22 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Western diplomats Wednesday urged the Taliban to allow Red Cross visits to eight foreigners arrested for trying to convert Muslim Afghans to Christianity, and vowed to press forward with efforts to gain consular access for the workers, news agencies reported.
Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakel said Tuesday that the Taliban is considering allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit the aid workers, who have not been seen since their arrest in Afghanistan early this month, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
"That would be a welcome step," said Pakistan-based Australian consul Alastar Adams.
Diplomats left Kabul empty-handed Tuesday after a futile week trying to gain permission from the Taliban to visit the two Americans, two Australians and four Germans in detention.
A U.S. embassy spokesman said ICRC visits would not ease U.S. pressure on the Taliban to allow consular access in line with international convention.
"To us [ICRC visits] do not satisfy the requirements of consular access but we would view it as a positive development," the spokesman said.
Mutawakel said the ICRC was neutral in the Afghan civil war and could therefore be trusted with visiting the detainees on humanitarian grounds.
The aid workers, staff of the German-based aid group Shelter Now, were arrested along with 16 Afghan colleagues between August 3rd and 5th.
They have been under guard in two Kabul detention centers and have been denied visits from friends, family and diplomats.
In Canberra, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the detention of the two Australians was a "matter of quite considerable concern to us."
He said he hoped Pakistan, one of only three countries that recognize the Taliban regime, would use its influence in Kabul to help soften the militia's hardline stance.
"We are going to work out tactically what we can do next," Downer said.
"We are looking at having further talks with the Pakistanis to see whether Pakistan can't do more than it's so far done to help," he added.
The United States, Germany and Australia, among other countries, do not recognize the Taliban as a government, and do not maintain embassies in Kabul.
The only countries that formally recognize the Taliban are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
The United States, which accuses the Taliban of "harboring terrorists", has said the regime will be held responsible for the well being of the prisoners.
Workers for the Shelter Now group were arrested after two female members were allegedly found showing Christian material on a computer to an Afghan family.
The Taliban seized preaching materials from the foreigners, which included translations of the Bible in Dari and Pushto languages, and videotapes.
Taliban officials have assured the diplomats of the foreign workers' well being, saying the detainees are being well looked after.
If found guilty, the foreign aid staff are likely to be sentenced to prison terms and deportation, while the Afghan workers could face execution, according to Taliban law.
The U.N. has imposed tough sanctions on the Taliban for its alleged support of "terrorism" and its refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden, who is wanted in Washington for allegedly masterminding the bombings of two American embassies in 1998.
The Taliban seized Kabul in 1996, and currently control about 95% of the country.
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