GHAZNI, Afghanistan - An Afghan negotiator on Saturday again ruled out a prisoner exchange to free 21 South Koreans held by the Taleban, saying it was against the policy of Afghanistan and the United States.Talks to free the group of aid workers, most of them said to be ill, are being conducted mainly by South Korea and could only involve settling on a ransom payout, parliamentarian Mahmood Gailani told AFP.
“Not only the Americans are opposed to an exchange of prisoners, it’s against the policy of the government,” he said. “The talks are now mainly by South Koreans. They can only talk about money, ransom,” he added.
Days earlier Gailani described negotiations between the Afghan government and hardline rebels as “stuck”.