Taliban extend deadline again for French aid worker

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban extended again on Monday the deadline for a deal to release a kidnapped French aid worker, saying French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy had pressing domestic issues to deal with.

"Since it is a new government, that has to pick its cabinet and deal with the sort out the problems it has (at home), we give them more time about this," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters from an undisclosed location.

"We expect them to get in touch with us."

The Taliban had previously extended the deadline until after Sunday's French election run-off and said Eric Damfreville and three Afghans from Terre d'Enfance, an agency helping children in southern Afghanistan, would be freed if at least one demand was met.

The militants have demanded the withdrawal of France's 1,100 or so troops from Afghanistan and the release of more Taliban from Afghan jails.

A French woman, Celine Cordelier, was freed earlier.

The right-wing Sarkozy promised after his election win to be a constant friend by the side of the United States, but the Taliban said it was a chance for a new approach.

"As a great and powerful nation, France should not victimise its national interest because of America's interests and allow French youths to be killed in Afghanistan or (have them) kill Afghans," Mujahid said from an undisclosed location.