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Government rules out ransom deal Government rules out ransom deal
(40 minutes later)
The government has refused to make a ransom payment to Somali pirates who have kidnapped a British couple.The government has refused to make a ransom payment to Somali pirates who have kidnapped a British couple.
Paul, 59, and Rachel Chandler, 55, from Kent, were taken hostage by gunmen as they sailed their yacht in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 23 October.Paul, 59, and Rachel Chandler, 55, from Kent, were taken hostage by gunmen as they sailed their yacht in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 23 October.
A ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) was made in a phone call to the BBC on Friday.A ransom demand of $7m (£4.3m) was made in a phone call to the BBC on Friday.
The Foreign Office said the couple were "blameless tourists" but said no payment would made nor advice given to the family to help them make a payment. The Foreign Office said the couple were "blameless tourists" but said no payment would be made nor advice given to relatives on how to make a payment.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office added: "We are aware of reports that a ransom demand of $7m has been made. [Her Majesty's Government] HMG's policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms."A spokesman for the Foreign Office added: "We are aware of reports that a ransom demand of $7m has been made. [Her Majesty's Government] HMG's policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms."
'Entirely unjustified''Entirely unjustified'
The Chandlers, of Tunbridge Wells, had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. Their yacht was later found in international waters.The Chandlers, of Tunbridge Wells, had been travelling to Tanzania from the Seychelles. Their yacht was later found in international waters.
In the phone call to the BBC one of the pirates said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them - we only need a little amount of seven million dollars."In the phone call to the BBC one of the pirates said: "If they do not harm us, we will not harm them - we only need a little amount of seven million dollars."
Rob Macaire, British High Commissioner, Kenya, told the BBC: "We are not in direct contact with whoever is holding the Chandlers.Rob Macaire, British High Commissioner, Kenya, told the BBC: "We are not in direct contact with whoever is holding the Chandlers.
"Our main concern is to make them understand that what they are doing is entirely unjustified and that they should release the Chandlers immediately and unconditionally. "Our main concern is to make them understand that what they are doing is entirely unjustified and that they should release the Chandlers immediately and unconditionally."
"We don't pay ransoms, we don't make substantive concessions to hostage takers" Armed pirates boarded the Chandler's yacht, the Lynn Rival, in the Indian Ocean while they slept.
In a phone call on Thursday, the couple said they were first moved from their yacht to a container ship, the Kota Wajar, which had also been seized by the pirates.
It is thought they were then moved to another ship anchored off the eastern coast of Somalia on Friday.
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has been told by Whitehall officials that the government has appointed a hostage negotiator who is on standby to deal with the case.