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Saturday, October 30, 2004
UN leads efforts on Pinoy hostage's release: RP
MANILA -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday it is coordinating with the United Nations (UN) office in New York to secure the immediate release of a Filipino diplomat kidnapped with two other foreign nationals in Kabul by suspected Afghan militants.
Filipino diplomat Angelito Nayan was working with the United Nations in overseeing the recent elections in Afghanistan and the UN will lead efforts to negotiate for his release and two other hostages, said DFA spokesman Gilbert Asuque in a press briefing in Manila.
President Arroyo is letting the foreign affairs office handle all statements and updates on Nayan's case, said her spokesman Ignacio Bunye in a separate interview.
Nayan and his companions, an Irish and a Kosovan, were blocked by armed men in a posh area near the Intercontinental Hotel Thursday. The Taliban has denied knowledge of the incident but a breakaway group owned up to the abduction and said it would come out with its demands later.
Asuque said negotiations for the release of Nayan and the other kidnapped victims would be coordinated by the UN and that the foreign affairs office would be relying on the agency for statements.
He added that the Philippine mission in New York, DFA in Manila and UN were closely coordinating with the Afghan interim government in Kabul concerning developments on the case.
Afghan forces were scouring a valley west of Kabul in search for three kidnapped victims, as militants claiming to have abducted them threatened Friday to kill them if a rescue operation was mounted.
The militants said they were checking the identities of their captives and would demand from their countries the withdrawal of their forces in Afghanistan.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has expressed "deep regret and dismay" for the abduction, said his spokesman Fred Eckhard.
In Manila, Nayan's family met Friday with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo for updates on the case.
The foreign affairs office has been given leave to extend whatever assistance to the family of Nayan, a junior foreign service officer. (JMR/With AFP)
(October 30, 2004 issue)
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