International

Every avenue will be pursued to free hostages, says U.S.
By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 21. In a major change of policy on kidnappings, the Bush administration has not only dropped the distinction between officials and private citizens but has also made it known that every avenue will be pursued for freeing hostages, be it paying ransom under exceptional circumstances or taking military action.

``We will look at every kidnapping and hostage taking to consider what the U.S. Government can do to gain the safe return of the individual, whether it's an official American or a private American'', the State Department Spokesman, Richard Boucher, said.

Under the new scheme of things, a committee made up of several agencies, the Hostage Subgroup, led by the National Security Council will be involved in every one of the cases. That inaction could encourage kidnappers to carry out more abductions was the rationale behind the change in the law.

Washington is also making the point that the emphasis on the ``use of every appropriate resource'' to gain the freedom of hostages did not mean an emphasis on military action. ``I don't want to imply that military action is in anyway a first or preferred way. But the commitment in looking at every case can involve any means that we have available'', Mr. Boucher remarked.

The Bush administration has made a significant, yet subtle, change of policy with respect to paying ranson. In the past the federal government promised ``never'' to pay ransom. But it is different under the new scheme of things.``It is the U.S. Government policy to deny hostage-takers the benefits of ransom, prisoner releases, policy changes or other acts of concession'', the revised wording says.

Successive administrations have been worried about the taking of American hostages, official or private; and the Bush administration is trying to send the message that there is going to be no benefit in ``grabbing Americans''. In the recent past the U.S. has been extremely concerned over the abduction of a reporter of The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, and the continuing mystery over his whereabouts. And a militant group in the Philippines is holding two American missionaries.

In the case of paying ransom to secure the release of hostages, the underlying rationale is that an element of flexibility ought to be in policy, especially if there was a certainty that the kidnappers could later be brought to justice.

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