Crunch hostage talks begin, envoy en route

Helping Ahmed will be Zikrur Rehman, who has been assisting the CMG in translating Arab reports and notes during the past few days.

Agence France Presse reported from Baghdad late tonight that the deadline had passed without news of the hostages after Al Dulaimi said their ‘‘Kuwaiti employer had agreed to comply with the kidnappers’ demands.’’

The Iraqi kidnappers are said to have asked for ‘‘compensation money’’ claiming it’s for the victims of the attacks on Fallujah.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that one key to crisis resolution could be the amount of ransom KGL needs to pay the kidnappers.

When specifically asked about the compensation issue, KGL spokesperson Rana Abu Zaineh distanced the company from the matter. ‘‘But what have we got to do with that? This is something that concerns the US Government. How are we involved in it?’’ she told The Sunday Express from Kuwait.

However, she chose not to answer any question related to demands for ransom or financial assistance. The company has also been in regular touch with India, as well as Egypt and Kenya.

It has been learnt that India has indicated to KGL that if the hostages—Antaryami, Sukhdev Singh and Tilakraj—come to any harm, the firm will be blacklisted by New Delhi. This may be more symbolic than substantive but the fact remains that at least half of KGL’s employees are said to be Indian citizens.

In New Delhi, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) met tonight to take stock of the situation. Chaired by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the committee “expressed satisfaction” over the steps taken by the government so far.

In Bangkok, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described the hostage issue as a ‘‘great crisis.’’ He said the Government was making ‘‘every possible’’ effort to solve the crisis and was now sending Talmiz Ahmad to Baghdad.

He referred a question on the possible evacuation of the 5,000-odd Indians settled in Iraq to his National Security Advisor, J N Dixit. ‘‘It is only logical that the process of evacuation (is also being considered). Some preparations are on the anvil,’’ he said.