Talks on victims' release to resume

Talks on victims' release to resume

SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines (AFP): Talks to free seven South
Koreans held by Moslem rebels in the southern Philippines will
resume Friday, negotiators said yesterday.

Governor Norodin Matalam, co-chairman of the negotiating panel
said he had met with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief
Al Hadji Murad at an undisclosed place late Tuesday to seek the
release of the Shinsung Construction Corp. workers.

The MILF, a breakaway faction of the Moro National Liberation
Front (MNLF) which is now holding autonomy talks with the
government, has claimed responsibility for Saturday's kidnapping
and demanded that military units pull out from the area, where
Shinsung is building an irrigation dam.

Talks for the release of the Koreans broke down on Monday
after the military refused to give in to demands of the rebels
that they be hired as security forces for Shinsung.