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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Karzai in US for security talks | Karzai in US for security talks |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Afghan President Hamid Karzai is set to begin a two-day visit to the US, where he will hold security talks with President George W Bush. | |
| But the trip is likely to be overshadowed by the detention of 21 South Koreans by Taleban militants. | |
| Meanwhile a medical team says it has delivered medicine to the hostages, two of whom are described as seriously ill. | |
| The Taleban have said they will meet a South Korean delegation, but have not yet agreed on a venue. | The Taleban have said they will meet a South Korean delegation, but have not yet agreed on a venue. |
| The head of a private Afghan clinic, Mohammad Hashim Wahaj, said more than $1,200 worth of antibiotics, pain killers, vitamins and heart pills had been left in an area of desert in Ghazni province, where the hostages are being held, specified by the militants. | |
| "This is a big achievement. Among the Koreans are doctors who know how to use these medicines," he said, quoted by Reuters news agency. | |
| "It was a big risk, but we had to take the risk because it is a humanitarian issue." | |
| Mr Wahaj told reporters the Taleban had expressed readiness to swap the two sick hostages for two imprisoned Taleban fighters. | |
| Earlier, the province's governor said Pakistani Taleban and military intelligence officers had taken charge of the hostage situation from local Afghan Taleban, and were trying to show that the Afghan government was weak. | |
| Four Afghans and a German are also being held hostage by another group of Taleban. | Four Afghans and a German are also being held hostage by another group of Taleban. |
| Iran worries | Iran worries |
| Mr Karzai will hold informal talks with Mr Bush at Camp David on Sunday. | Mr Karzai will hold informal talks with Mr Bush at Camp David on Sunday. |
| He is expected to express concern that too many Afghan civilians have become the victims of coalition operations. | He is expected to express concern that too many Afghan civilians have become the victims of coalition operations. |
| He also wants the US to press its ally, Pakistan, to do more to tackle fighters crossing the border into Afghanistan. | He also wants the US to press its ally, Pakistan, to do more to tackle fighters crossing the border into Afghanistan. |
| But the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says the US is just as worried about the influence of neighbouring Iran, accusing Tehran of supplying weapons to the Taleban. | But the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says the US is just as worried about the influence of neighbouring Iran, accusing Tehran of supplying weapons to the Taleban. |
| Mr Bush is also expected to urge Mr Karzai to assert his government's authority throughout the country and root out corruption. | Mr Bush is also expected to urge Mr Karzai to assert his government's authority throughout the country and root out corruption. |
| This year the US is giving Afghanistan $10bn, targeted at building up the country's own security forces. | This year the US is giving Afghanistan $10bn, targeted at building up the country's own security forces. |
| Mr Bush wants to see results, our correspondent says. | Mr Bush wants to see results, our correspondent says. |