950830

India optimistic but

cautious about

hostage release

SRINAGAR, (India): Indian officials said on Wednesday they were guardedly optimistic secret talks with militants in Kashmir would lead to the release of four Western hostages but cautioned the eight-week ordeal could drag on.

"The mood is one of very cautious optimism," an official with the government of Jammu and Kashmir state said.

The government's hopes were lifted earlier this week when Al-Faran guerrillas permitted authorities to make direct radio contact with American Donald Hutchings.

Hutchings said he and the other three tourists -- German Dirk Hasert and Britons Keith Mangan and Paul Wells -- were unharmed after eight weeks of captivity and repeated death threats.

A fifth hostage, Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe, was found beheaded on August 13, near a note by Al-Faran threatening to kill the other four unless India released 15 jailed militants within two days.

That deadline passed without any apparent harm to the hostages.

"It is a matter of concern that the kidnappers are still holding the hostages but we are satisfied the abductors have not harmed the men despite the killing of the Norwegian," the official said.

Authorities were still awaiting answers from Hasert, Mangan and Wells to questions that they put to Hutchings during Monday's radio conversation.

Because the questions were personal in nature and could only be answered by the individuals themselves, the responses would provide proof they were still alive.

Authorities said they did not know if the answers would be transmitted by radio, tape recording or letter.

India has all but ruled out a commando raid to rescue the four hostages as it would be fraught with danger in the rugged terrain of the Himalayan mountains.

New Delhi has also flatly refused to make an open exchange of jailed militants for the hostages.

But negotiators have been pinning hopes on an agreement which would involve the release of the captive tourists as well as a number of jailed separatists who might have been freed under the government's regular review of their status.-Reuter