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India sends emissary

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 31 . Talks are going on to free the three Indian hostages being held captive by militants in Iraq, the Minister of State for External Affairs, E. Ahamed, said after a meeting of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) this evening.

Talmiz Ahmad, India's Ambassador to Oman, has been asked to reach Baghdad to help in the talks that are going on between Sheikh Hisham Al-Dulaimi and the Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company (KGL).

Mr. Ahamed said that Mehdi Saleh, a KGL official, had been officially authorised by the company to negotiate on its behalf with Mr. Al-Dulaimi. "Mr. Mehdi is reportedly already in Iraq and is talking with Sheikh Hisham-Al-Dulaymi. The venue of the talks is not known."

"We would also like to clarify that Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad is being deputed to Baghdad to assist the Indian mission there in handling the situation arising out of the abduction of Indian nationals. His aim would be to evaluate the evolving developments and give regular inputs to the Government of India," Mr. Ahamed said.

`Families contacted'

"The families of the hostages have been contacted and apprised of the latest developments. We have assured them that the Government is monitoring the situation on a continuous basis and we are hopeful that the crisis would come to a successful and satisfactory conclusion. Our latest information from our Embassies in Baghdad and Kuwait is that the talks are continuing."

Asked whether the fresh deadline set by the kidnappers for Saturday night had been extended, Mr. Ahamed told presspersons, "I have no other information. Talks are going on."

Earlier, Mr. Ahamed had said in another statement: "We have been given to understand through local media in the region that the deadline [set by the kidnappers to execute one of the hostages] has been extended by 24 hours by the hostage takers. We have been informed that Sheikh Hisham-Al-Dulaimi is meeting representatives of the Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company. The meeting is under way."

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