Captive couple in plea to new PM

Paul and Rachel ChandlerThe couple were seized while sailing from the Seychelles

A British couple held hostage by Somali pirates have urged UK Prime Minister David Cameron to clarify whether his government will seek their release.

Paul Chandler, 60, and Rachel Chandler, 56, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, were kidnapped while sailing in the Indian Ocean in October.

In an interview broadcast on ITV News, Mr Chandler said they "desperately needed" the PM to make a statement.

The Foreign Office said it had a policy of not negotiating with kidnappers.

The pair spoke to a Somali journalist at the weekend, ITV News reported, adding that no money for the interview had gone to the kidnappers.

Mr Chandler offered his congratulations to the new prime minister, but urged him to act.

Raised hopes

"As new prime minister, we desperately need him to make a definitive public statement of the government's attitude to us," Mr Chandler said.

"If the government is not prepared to help, then they must say so, because the gangsters' expectations and hopes have been raised at the thought of a new government and there might be a different approach."

The Foreign Office said the British government's policy of "not making or facilitating substantive concessions to hostage-takers, including the payment of ransoms, is long-standing and clear".

A spokesman said: "This has been the policy of successive governments and has not changed.Our thoughts are with their families on the release of this video, and our consular officials are in close touch with them.

"We again urge those holding Paul and Rachel to release them safely, immediately and unconditionally."

The Channel 4 News website reported that the couple had spent almost 100 days of their captivity apart from each other, in solitary confinement.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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