Ghazni, Afghanistan ? A Taliban spokesman said Saturday that two sick, female South Korean hostages would be released “soon” for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and South Korea. Neither the international Red Cross or the Afghan government could immediately confirm the claim.

The spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said the two women would be freed because they are sick. He said the decision had been made by the Taliban’s high commanders, but he said it had not yet been decided when the women would be freed.

Two Taliban leaders and four South Korean officials met Saturday for the second day of face-to-face talks over the fate of 21 South Korean hostages being held since July 19 by the militants. The two said earlier Saturday that the Koreans would “definitely” be released and possibly as soon as “today or tomorrow.”

“The Taliban’s big commanders have decided for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and the Korean people that without any conditions they are soon going to release two sick women,” Ahmadi said.

Franz Rauchenstein, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross, said neither the Taliban nor South Korean officials had talked to the Red Cross about facilitating the release of hostages, and that he could not confirm that two women were to be freed.

Marajudin Pathan, the local governor, said he had not heard that two women would be released and that it hadn’t been discussed during negotiations Saturday. He said talks would continue today.

“Qari Ahmadi (the Taliban spokesman) is somewhere in Pakistan,” Pathan said. “He’s just running his mouth. They (the Taliban) are always giving contradictory statements.”

Pathan said he didn’t think the hostage crisis would be resolved by prisoner release, “but we’ll see if it’s by some other avenue.”

He refused to specify if that meant a ransom payment, though he has said previously he thought money would resolve the situation.

Mullah Qari Bashir, one of the Taliban negotiators, said the face-to-face talks were going well and that the Taliban were sticking with their original demand – that 21 Taliban prisoners be released from prisons in Afghanistan.

Asked when the Koreans might be freed, he said: “Hopefully today or tomorrow.”