Diplomats representing eight foreign aid workers detained in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan will not be allowed consular visits until police investigations are finished, a Taliban minister said Sunday.
Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakel said diplomats from the United States, Australia and Germany should "not hurry" to Afghanistan if they want to visit the eight detainees accused of preaching Christianity.
"If the diplomats are coming for talks with Afghan government officials we will give them visas, but if they want to meet the detained foreigners they should not hurry because the investigation is underway," he said.
"The investigation is almost complete," he told a press conference, adding that police were looking at whether the alleged proselytising was "an individual act or some wider conspiracy."
Diplomats in Pakistan have requested visas to visit the aid workers, who were among 24 staff of German-based humanitarian agency Shelter Now arrested last week.
But the Taliban so far has not issued the documents, despite offering assurances that the consular visits would be allowed.
None of the three countries recognises the fundamentalist Islamic militia which rules most of Afghanistan, and they do not maintain embassies in the country m-- KABUL (AFP)
