Hostage negotiations fail

Press, 2 June 1979, Page 8

Hostage negotiations fail

NZPA-Reuter Panama City The Panamanian Government has refused to grant political asylum to Left-wing militants occupying the French and Venezuelan Embassies in San Salvador and holding five hostages. A Foreign Ministry anI nouncement said that talks with the' anti-Government Popular Revolutionary Bloc in the capital of El Salvador had been broken off. The Panamanian announcement came a few hours after the militants announced in San Salvador

that they were going to end their occupation of the embassies today after the arrival of a plane to fly them into political exile in Panama.

Earlier, bloc members had I said they would quit the two buildings seized last month at 5 p.m. Thursday local > time (3 p.m. yesterday New Zealand time). But when the deadline ex- ■ pired. a spokesman said the arrival of a Panamanian Air ■ Force plane to fly them out ’ had been delayed and thev would go in the morning in- ■ stead. The bloc is seeking

the release of jailed leaders. The Panamanian Ministry quoted bloc negotiators as saying they would not accept asylum but would seek the aid of other countries so that their members holding the embassies could return home. Panamanian negotiators had demanded the release of the hostages, including the French Ambassador (Mr Michael Dondenne). “As this had not been possible. Panama deplores that its humanitarian work ha- | not had positive results, I the Ministry added.