INDIA: INDIAN AIRLINES HIGHJACKING: UPDATE (2)

(29 Dec 1999) English/Nat

Indian officials said on Wednesday that the scaling back of the demands by the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane would make little difference to the outcome of the crisis.

After reviewing the state of negotiations, a spokesman for the Indian Cabinet said India would make its decisions after judging the demands as a package.

In the northern Indian territory of Jammu, security at the prison where the militant Masood Azhar is being held, was stepped up.

The hijackers are demanding his release and the release of 34 other Kashmiri extremists.

India's Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pramod Mahajan, told reporters on Wednesday that the demands of the men holding hostage the passengers of an Indian Airlines plane would be judged 'in totality'.

The statement came as the hijackers dropped their demands for a 200 (m) million U-S dollar ransom and the return of the body of a Kashmiri militant, in the first breakthrough in negotiations aimed at ending a gruelling six-day hijack.

The change of heart was announced by Taliban officials.

But Mahajan said the amended demands would not effect India's approach.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"As far as negotiations are concerned we are taking demands in totality. We are not counting either the numbers of demands or the number of people whose release is asked, and whenever government takes a decision it will be taken in totality, and so I don't think it is proper for me at this stage to say that dropping X demand or Y demand makes much material change."
SUPER CAPTION: Pramod Mahajan, Indian Minister for Parliamentary Affairs

In the northern province of Jammu, security was being tightened around the jail where cleric Masood Azhar is being held.

Soldiers at the scene say that security at the prison is now foolproof.

The hijackers have demanded his release as part of their terms for ending the crisis.

Also in Jammu is the grave of another militant whose exhumation the hijackers had been demanding.

Sajjad Afghani died in a prison breakout earlier this year.

He had been leader of Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, a Kashmiri separatist group.

Earlier on Wednesday, India's External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh told journalists that negotiations to end the hijack were underway.

Singh said that food, water. and medical supplies had been delivered to the plane and that despite the length of their ordeal the hostages w,re as comfortable as could be expected.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The government remains committed to the earliest termination of the hijacking and also the safe return of passengers and crew of IC 184."
SUPER CAPTION: Jaswant Singh, Indian External Affairs minister

The Indian government has come under heavy pressure from relatives and supporters of the hostages to bring an end to the crisis.

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