US, allies pledge collective action on hostage-taking

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Representatives from the United States and six allied nations pledged to work together to counter global hostage-taking and detentions considered unjust, they said in a joint statement on Tuesday after talks in Montana.

"We are united in our demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," the statement said.

U.S. special envoy Adam Boehler led the talks on Monday and Tuesday in Big Sky, Montana, with counterparts from Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel and the United Kingdom.

They discussed sharing information about detainees and other collaborative efforts to free their citizens held around the world.

"We will spare no effort, in accordance with international law, to bring home hostages and unjustly or arbitrarily detained individuals and to deter such future acts," the statement said, without providing specifics.

Boehler, who was involved in efforts that led to the freedom of American school teacher Marc Fogel from Russia last month, said in a statement that the gathering was centered on "how to support individual freedom and stop the hostage takers who try to take it away."

The group vowed to work collectively to "identify and deploy every diplomatic, economic, and strategic tool at our disposal to bring these individuals home while deterring future such acts," a U.S. State Department official said.

A report last August by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation said at least 43 U.S. nationals were being held hostage or wrongfully detained in 16 countries across the world.

In addition to these people, U.S. officials are working to gain the release of many others considered unjustly detained around the world, including in China, Russia, Venezuela, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The State Department official said President Donald Trump has made it a priority to bring Americans home.

"Anyone engaging in these practices is on notice that the United States is prioritizing getting our people back. At the same time, we are pursuing collective measures with our partners that can be brought to bear," the official said.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Rod Nickel)