PARIS, Sept 5 (Reuters) - French authorities have received recent proof that two journalists held hostage in Afghanistan are alive and in good health, President Nicolas Sarkozy's chief of staff said on Sunday.
Herve Ghesquiere and Stephane Taponier, television journalists for France 3, were captured on Dec. 29 last year in Kapisa province, northeast of the capital Kabul, along with their Afghan driver and translator.
"I have two pieces of good news," Claude Gueant told Europe 1 radio. "The first is that we have recent proof that they are alive, from around 10 days ago. The second is that we know they are in good health," he said.
In April, the Afghan Taliban demanded the release of prisoners in exchange for the two kidnapped French journalists and issued a video in which the reporters said their captors would kill them unless the terms were met.
Negotiations for their release were disrupted by the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Gueant said. "They were going well so they will start again in a few days," he said.
