Italy fends off criticism of Afghan hostage deal

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

ROME (AFP) — Italy fended off criticism from NATO allies on Thursday that it had made hostage-taking in Afghanistan more likely after the swap of five Taliban prisoners for a kidnapped Italian journalist.

Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said that he did not regret saving the life of La Repubblica correspondent Daniele Mastrogiacomo, who was held for two weeks and witnessed the beheading of his Afghan driver before being released on Monday.

"It's preferable to have a dispute over the fact that we saved him, rather than to have one over having had him killed," D'Alema said.

He spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after the United States, Britain and the Netherlands said the swap could invite similar kidnappings of NATO and...