Several South Korean diplomats and two Taliban delegates carried out first face-to-face talks on 21 hostages Friday night in Ghazni province of central Afghanistan, an official said.

The talks were being held at a Red Cross office in Ghazni city, the provincial capital, the official said on condition of anonymity.

A purported Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi also confirmed that the talks were under way.

Earlier on Friday, Ahmadi said two Taliban delegates, who are Mullah Bashir and Mullah Nasratullah, would be sent to a government-controlled territory for the talks as Afghan authorities had given a written guarantee for their safety.

A total of 23 South Koreans were kidnapped by Taliban militants on a road in the central Ghazni province on July 19.

Taliban rebels killed two male hostages on July 25 and July 30 separately to press Afghan and South Korean authorities to meet their demands, while the others are still being held by Taliban militants.

The Afghan government has refused to release Taliban prisoners as the Taliban has demanded to exchange for the hostages.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2007)