No direct talks for release of hostages

As the hostage crisis involving three Indians in Iraq prolonged, the government yesterday made it clear in Parliament that it was its policy not to talk to terrorists and also ruled out paying any ransom.

"It is the policy of the government not to talk to terrorists. No ransom (will be paid for their release)," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed told the Rajya Sabha during question hour.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also intervened to assure members that every effort was being made to secure the release of three Indian truck drivers "as early as possible".

Considering the importance of the issue, Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat decided to club four questions on the issue and take them first on priority basis.

E Ahamed, who heads the Crisis Management Group on the hostage issue, said: "We are carefully dealing with the situation. The government has decided there will be no direct dialogue with the kidnappers and under no circumstances we are going to have a dialogue with them."

Maintaining that it was the government's policy not to talk to terrorists, he said no ransom would be paid for securing the release of hostages. New Delhi would encourage the Kuwaiti employer of the hostages to step up efforts in securing their release.

Ahamed said India, Kenya and Egypt (whose citizens have also been taken hostages) had decided not to undertake any direct negotiations with the abductors.

In his brief intervention, the Prime Minister said: "We cannot say they will be released tomorrow. The government is as serious as anybody else. Every effort is being made to ensure that the three hostages are released as early as possible."

In a written reply, Ahamed said due to deteriorating security situation in Iraq, where three Indian drivers have been taken hostage, a travel advisory was issued to Indians not to visit that country for the time being.

He said the government has reiterated its instructions to the missions in the Gulf to extend all possible assistance to the Indian nationals in Iraq desiring to return to India.

The Indian Mission in Baghdad has been instructed to visit work sites of Indian citizens to the extent possible to enquire after their safety and well-being and to take appropriate steps to ensure this, he said.

He said Indian Missions in the Gulf and the government were monitoring the developments that might have a bearing on the safety of the Indian citizens in other countries.

However, he clarified that the government had not issued a list of countries which were dangerous for Indian workers.

With a view to securing the release of the three hostages without being harassed, the government had taken a number of steps including seeking assistance of influential religious leaders in the Arab World, who had issued appeals to kidnappers to release the hostages, Ahamed said.