Collapse of negotiations to release the hostages in Iraq

The Iraqi tribal leader Hisham al-Deilimi yesterday denied that the seven hostages he is mediating for release, are freed, noting that the negotiations concerning them " collapsed."

Al-Deilimi said that the negotiations to release the hostages, three Kenyans, three Indians and one Egyptian, collapsed and there are no more contacts with the kidnappers.

A spokesman for the Kenyan government announced earlier that the hostages were released and are in the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad. But al-Deilimi denied these news, and the same did one official at the Egyptian embassy. al-Deilimi said " the two sides failed in reaching an agreement. And I do not know what will happen." The spokeswoman for Kuwaiti " the Gulf and Kuwait league for transport, " where the hostages are working, Rana Abu Zeina said that the negotiations to release them failed after al-Deilimi withdrew.

Earlie, al-Deilimi announced his "withdrawal" from the negotiations because he " has not reached an agreement with the Kuwaities " for whom the kidnapped Kuwaiti drivers are working. He said he received a message signed by the leader of the " Secret Islamic army" saying that if the negotiations will not be succeed by the fall of 6.p.m. yesterday ( Baghdad time) he will withdraw from the talks, noting that the message ready that the kidnappers will after then take " appropriate measures concerning the hostages."

Meantime, the Turkish Anadol news agency said that two Turkish transport companies announced yesterday their determination to freeze their activities in Iraq in order to facilitate the release of two truck drivers held in Iraq as hostages.