In the talks, Roberto Aventajado, a special envoy of President Joseph Estrada, agreed with Galib Andang, a top leader of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group, that two emissaries be used as a go-between to break the impasse in the 12-week long hostage crisis.

He did not name the emissaries but said one of them, designated by Andang, was a relative of the Abu Sayyaf leader.

"He will give the bottomline demands of the Abu Sayyaf to this person so we can resolve this situation," Aventajado said.

In a series of television and radio interviews, Aventajado said he believed the agreement with Andang as a major step towards resolving the crisis soon.

"He was the one who sought me, who came up with this suggestion that I send somebody up there that he trusts," said Aventajado just a few hours after speaking with Andang.

"He told me something he wants done, I cannot say what it is now," Aventajado said.

It is believed to be the first direct communication between Aventajado and the rebel leaders since their only meeting on May 27.

"He called me using the satellite phone of one French journalist who entered their camp and it appears they (the French journalists) have been detained and are hostages also," Aventajado said.

He was referring to three journalists from France-2 television who were seized Sunday while on their way for an interview with rebel leaders at a hinterland base outside Jolo.

Andang, together with four other Abu Sayyaf leaders, is now holding a total of 40 hostages on Jolo.

Aventajado said Andang admitted holding the three French journalists, 20 foreign and local hostages seized from a Malaysian resort on April 23, and 13 Filipino Christian preachers who went to pray over the hostages on July 2.

However, Andang told him that a German journalist Andreas Lorenz, reportedly seized by the Abu Sayyaf on July 2, was being held by a so-called "lost command" group, or splinter rebel groups operating independently.

Three Filipino hostages seized by another Abu Sayyaf faction in Basilan island have also been taken to Jolo.

Sources close to the rebels said, however, that Lorenz, seized while covering the hostage crisis, was being held by another Abu Sayyaf faction.

Meanwhile, Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, another member of the government's negotiating team, returned to Jolo and said that a Libyan mediator, Rajab Azzarouq, will be arriving soon for a "make-or-break meeting" with the kidnapers.

Azzarouq, a former Libyan ambassador to this country who obtained the release of hostages in previous kidnapping incidents, had met repeatedly with the Abu Sayyaf leaders to try to resolve this crisis but failed to make progress.

"This is the last time Azzarouq would come here as a negotiator," Tan said.

Azzarouq earlier said that he would give the Abu Sayyaf a final offer of a package of development aid in exchange for the release of the hostages.

Earlier yesterday, a Filipino freelance scriptwriter cut off a piece of her left middle finger and used her blood to write a letter appealing for the release of an ailing German captive, 56-year-old Renate Wallert.

"I cut my finger as a sign of deep sincerity," said Leah Cabullo, a Manila-based freelance writer in her 30s.

Renate, held with her husband Werner and son Marc, suffers from hypertension, a chronic anxiety disorder, and other ailments. Werner earlier urged Estrada in an open letter to "accept" a P40-million ($930,600) ransom demand for Renate.