Three Western diplomats in the Afghan capital Kabul said today the Taliban had agreed to allow more meetings with eight jailed foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity.
"After seeing the detainees yesterday, today we have started discussions with the ministry of foreign affairs in order to monitor the upcoming procedure and hopefully we might have other talks," said German diplomat Mr Helmut Landes.
Four Germans, two Australians, two Americans and 16 Afghans, all from German-based Christian relief agency Shelter Now International, were arrested over three weeks ago.
They face charges of trying to convert Afghan Muslims to Christianity and could face a death penalty under the Taliban's purist interpretation of Islam.
The three Pakistan-based diplomats from Germany, Australia and the United States - and the father of one detained American and the mother of another - flew into Kabul yesterday and met the foreign detainees soon after.
"They looked well and they said they were well treated," US diplomat Mr David Donahue said after the meeting.
The Taliban had refused all outside access to the detainees and the diplomats' comments marked the first public report on their condition.