Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said today eight detained foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity could be visited by Western diplomats, relatives and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
"The first important phase of the investigation is coming to an end, diplomats and family members of detainees can come and see them in Kabul," Taliban Foreign Minister Mr Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil said.
The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency said ICRC officials would meet the detainees in Kabul at 8 a.m. (local time) tomorrow.
The foreigners - two Australians, four Germans and two Americans - together with 16 Afghans all worked for the German-based Christian relief agency Shelter Now International and have been held for three weeks.
Since the arrests, the Taliban have refused any outside contact with the detained foreigners and said the investigation into proselytising was being broadened to include other aid agencies including the UN World Food Programme.
Islamabad-based diplomats from Germany, Australia and the United States spent a futile week in Kabul, returning to the Pakistani capital having only convinced the Taliban to pass on mail and a few personal items.
The AIP agency reported the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Mr Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, said new visas for the three diplomats would be issued on Monday.
It was unclear whether two other people waiting for visas - the mother of one detained American and father of another - would also be issued with visas.