Madrid, Jan 8 (IANS/EFE) Spain has said it won’t pay any ransom for three of its aid workers kidnapped in Mauritania by the Al Qaeda group in Islamic Maghreb.
“The Spanish government does not pay ransom,” said Prime Minister Jose Luis Rdriguez Zapatero Thursday.

“That position is clear and firm,” Moratinos said at a summit here, stressing that Madrid was determined to resolve the situation in a manner consistent with its international commitments towards the fight against terrorism.

Albert Vilalta, 35, Alicia Gamez, 35, and Roque Pascual, 50, who work for Barcelona-Accio Solidaria, were abducted Nov 29 last while transporting humanitarian aid on the highway that links Mauritania’s capital Nouakchott to Nouadhibou in the country’s northern region.

During the summit, Zapatero assured his full support to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in his efforts to fight against Islamic terrorism.

Spain thanked Algeria for the diplomatic aid it has been providing to find a solution to the aid workers’ abduction, for which AQIM claimed responsibility.

–IANS/EFE

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