Stéphane Taponier and Hervé Ghesquière, staff journalists for the French television channel France 3, were taken captive along with three Afghan colleagues in December 2009 as they were travelling in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province around 120 kilometres northeast of the capital Kabul.
On Friday Taponier's brother, Thierry, told the all-news channel i>Télé that he didn't share the French government's optimism about the release of the two men.
Thierry Taponier (screenshot from Dailymotion audio recording of Europe 1 interview)He was talking after the broadcast of an audio message apparently from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden warning that France would "pay dearly for its policy in Afghanistan and that the release of the hostages would depend on French troops being withdrawn."
"This is a blow to us and comes when we least expected it because just a while ago François Fillion (the French prime minister) told us that he was optimistic about the fate of Stéphane and Hervé," he said.
"Now we're stunned at the difference between the positive things the (French) State is saying and the negative side of the kidnappers," he continued.
"I'm starting to lose confidence in what the government can achieve in Afghanistan, certainly in this case."
Picture of the two French hostages projected on to the Arc de Triomphe on the day marking the first anniversary of their capture (screenshot i>Télé report)While the French government has at various times issued statements insisting that negotiations for the release of the two men are progressing, their families have by and large been hesitant about talking to the media.
Their silence was broken in December last year when both Taponier's father and brother expressed their frustrations and concerns.
Earlier this month the French prime minister, François Fillion, said that discussions with the kidnappers were "very advanced" and that he thought that there "could only be a positive outcome."
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