Formal talks launched on release of RP hostages

Formal talks launched on release of RP hostages

BANDANG, Philippines (AFP): Government negotiators and rebel
leaders Saturday held their first formal talks over the release
of 21 mostly foreign hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf group.

"The negotiators and the (Abu Sayyaf) met for the formal
meeting to secure the release of the 21 hostages and study the
demands of the rebels," a close aide of top government negotiator
Roberto Aventajado told reporters.

Four of the five Abu Sayyaf leaders expected to attend turned
up for the meeting. They smiled but refused to be photographed as
they entered an elementary school where the talks are being held.

Outside, scores of Abu Sayyaf guerrillas armed with rifles and
wearing ski masks milled around with journalists.

The meeting is being held at Bandang village near the costal
town of Talipao in southern Jolo island where the hostages have
been held since their abduction from Sipadan, near Malaysia, on
April 23.

The rebels fled to Talipao from Patikul with the hostages on
Friday, abruptly canceling a scheduled meeting with negotiators
after reportedly being unnerved by a large military presence at
the meeting venue.

The Abu Sayyaf, who are fighting for an independent state in
the southern Philippines, are holding nine Malaysians, a German
family of three, a French couple, two Finns, a South African
couple, two Filipinos and a Lebanese.

The military has been kept far away from the meeting Saturday,
and the venue is secured only by provincial police guards.

President Joseph Estrada's special envoy Aventajado is leading
the five-member panel of negotiators, comprising Sulu province
governor Abdusakur Tan, local peace advocate Farouq Hussein,
Islamic scholar Ghazali Ibrahim, and independent mediator and
former Libyan envoy to the Philippines, Abdul Rajab Azzarouq.

Leaders of the Abu Sayyaf at the talks including strongman
Galib Andang, better known as Commander Robot.

The government and the kidnappers have had informal talks
through emissaries but formal negotiations have been delayed by
skirmishes, guerrilla demands for new government negotiators and
a lack of coordination within the state negotiating panel.

President Joseph Estrada is under pressure from foreign
governments to bring a quick resolution to the hostage crisis.
Negotiators have warned that any monetary demands by the Abu
Sayyaf leaders could scupper the long-awaited talks.

Officials have said they expect the negotiations will
eventually boil down to the payment of a ransom.

Two political demands by the rebels -- an independent Islamic
state and the setting up of an international commission to
protect Filipino Muslims in the neighboring Malaysian state of
Sabah -- have been rejected.

A breakthrough in the formal talks could lead to the release
of several ailing hostages, including German teacher Renate
Wallert.