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U.S. President George W. Bush and Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed at a summit on Monday not to bargain with the Taliban over 21 South Korean hostages being held in Afghanistan. White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said: "Both leaders agreed that in negotiations for the release, there should be no quid pro quo for the hostages¡¦The Taliban are brutal and should not be emboldened by this.¡±
Some Koreans had hoped that the Bush-Karzai summit could lead to a breakthrough in the hostage crisis. But as expected, the summit served as an opportunity to reaffirm international standards of refusing to negotiate with terrorists. Before traveling to the U.S. Sunday, President Karzai reiterated his position, saying he would do everything in his power to secure the South Koreans' release but would not strengthen the Taliban's cause by exchanging prisoners. In other words, a prisoner-for-hostage swap would lead to more kidnappings of foreigners by the Taliban.
The Taliban said on Tuesday that there was no change in their demand for release of Taliban prisoners. A spokesman for the Taliban said they would kill more hostages if this demand is not met.
The Korean government must resolve the hostage crisis by dealing with the U.S., Afghanistan and the Taliban simultaneously. And Korea has very few negotiating cards if any. The withdrawal of 200 Korean troops from Afghanistan, engaged mainly in reconstruction efforts and medical services, does not offer much leverage. The Korean government is reportedly considering using non-governmental organizations as intermediaries in talks with the Taliban, face-to-face meetings with the abductors after safety guarantees, or building a school or hospital in the Taliban area. It is also appealing for the support of the Muslim and international communities.
Even the Taliban, who have been impervious to international opinion, must be feeling pressure for having kidnapped women since the entire Muslim world is ashamed of that act. And the jirga or religious and tribal leaders¡¯ conference scheduled in Kabul on Thursday may set the stage to vocalize such criticism against the abductors.
The government must find a way to rescue the hostages using all methods available. There are unwavering standards in international politics. But Seoul must consider the fact that no principle is absolute and be able to deftly use that fact. We are increasingly concerned by news that the health of the hostages is worsening following 21 days of captivity. Some hostage crises took three years to resolve. The government must be persistent in its efforts to rescue the hostages while maintaining its patience and composure until the last minute.
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