AFGHANISTAN: BAN KI-MOON URGES RELEASE OF ABDUCTED PERSONS

AFGHANISTAN: BAN KI-MOON URGES RELEASE OF ABDUCTED PERSONS
New York, Jul 21 2007 9:00PM
Concerned at the abduction of a number of Koreans and Germans in Afghanistan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the country's Government to work to secure their release.

Mr. Ban made his appeal during a telephone conversation with President Hamid Karzai, according to a statement released by a UN spokesperson.

"He called on the Afghan Government to do its utmost to secure an early release of the abductees. In particular, Mr. Ban asked for President Karzai to be personally engaged so as to achieve a prompt resolution," the spokesperson said.

President Karzai "expressed profound concern" and said he he was directly engaged in attempts to resolve the incidents as soon as possible.

The Afghan Government has established a Task Force of intergovernmental experts to address the issue, and is in contact with the parties involved while keeping in close touch with the authorities of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), according to the statement.
2007-07-21 00:00:00.000

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