PAKISTAN: TALEBAN AUTHORITIES CONFIRM THAT THREE WESTERN DIPLOMATS HAVE APPLIED FOR NEW VISAS TO RE-VISIT EIGHT FOREIGN AID WORKERS DETAINED IN AFGHANISTAN
Record ID:
566261
PAKISTAN: TALEBAN AUTHORITIES CONFIRM THAT THREE WESTERN DIPLOMATS HAVE APPLIED FOR NEW VISAS TO RE-VISIT EIGHT FOREIGN AID WORKERS DETAINED IN AFGHANISTAN
- Title: PAKISTAN: TALEBAN AUTHORITIES CONFIRM THAT THREE WESTERN DIPLOMATS HAVE APPLIED FOR NEW VISAS TO RE-VISIT EIGHT FOREIGN AID WORKERS DETAINED IN AFGHANISTAN
- Date: 23rd August 2001
- Summary: (U1)ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 23, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV/PAN: CAR OF PARENTS OF DETAINEES ENTERING AFGHAN EMBASSY (2 SHOTS) 0.13 2. SV: MOTHER OF U.S. DETAINEE COMING OUT OF CAR 0.17 3. SV: TALIBAN DEPUTY AMBASSADOR, SOHAIL SHAHEEN, SEATED 0.24 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOHAIL SHAHEEN, TALIBAN DEPUTY AMBASSADOR, SAYING: "Yesterday, the counsellors of U.S.A., Germany and Australia met with me here at the embassy and they applied for the visas. We have forwarded their applications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and (we are) waiting for a reply from there. Similarly, we met the American parents of the detainees and received applications from them. And we have sent that to the Foreign Ministry. And also, we received some personal letters and also we have passed those letters to the Foreign Ministry." 1.16 5. CU: TALIBAN FLAG 1.21 6. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOHAIL SHAHEEN, TALIBAN DEPUTY AMBASSADOR, SAYING: "Today, in the morning, I contacted the Foreign Ministry. They assured me that all the detainees are safe and healthy. There is also a clinic for them, to cater to their medical needs. And they are enjoying the hospitality of the Afghan people." 1.47 7. PAN: PARENTS OF DETAINEES GETTING INTO CAR; CAR LEAVING EMBASSY 2.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th September 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Reuters ID: LVAA3HF7WOLL5F0YR64OQ1K0O7K
- Story Text: Diplomats from Australia, Germany and the United States
have applied for new visas to re-visit the eight foreign aid
workers detained for spreading Christianity in Afghanistan.
Diplomats from the three countries applied for fresh
visas at the Taliban embassy in the Pakistani capital
Islamabad on Thursday (August 23) to re-enter Afghanistan.
They had returned empty handed on Tuesday (August 21)
after spending a frustrating week in Kabul trying to get
access to the eight foreign aid workers of German-based
Shelter Now International (SNI).
The aid workers had been accused of spreading
Christianity, along with 16 Afghan employees of the Christian
aid agency.
The Taliban had consistently refused to allow any contact,
either consular or legal, with the aid workers -- two
Australians, four Germans and two Americans.
A Taliban embassy spokesman said visa applications from
the three diplomats and two other Americans -- the mother of
one detained American and father of another -- would be
forwarded to the foreign ministry in Kabul later on Thursday.
Sohail Shaheen, the Taliban deputy ambassador said,
"Yesterday, the counsellors of U.S.A., Germany and Australia
met with me here at the embassy and they applied for the
visas. We have forwarded their applications to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, and (we are) waiting for a reply from there.
Similarly, we met the American parents of the detainees and
received applications from them. And we have sent that to the
Foreign Ministry. And also, we received some personal letters,
and also, we have passed those letters to the Foreign
Ministry".
The two American parents spent more than an hour at the
Taliban embassy on Thursday, seeking information about their
children.
Shaheen said he had told the parents the detainees were
safe and in good health.
"Today, in the morning, I contacted the Foreign Ministry.
They assured me that all the detainees are safe and healthy.
There is also a clinic for them, to cater to their medical
needs. And they are enjoying the hospitality of the Afghan
people," he added.
The Taliban said a large haul of Christian material was
seized from the arrested foreigners that showed they were
propagating Christianity in Afghanistan. Seeking
converts, or converting people from Islam, can carry the death
penalty in Afghanistan.
However, Shelter Now says its staff are told not to
proselytise.
Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil said on
Thursday Afghanistan's rulers
would allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to
meet the eight foreign aid workers accused of spreading
Christianity.
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