13 July 2000 - AFP

JOLO, Philippines, July 13 (AFP) - President Joseph Estrada on Thursday assured European ministers there will be no military operation to rescue 40 hostages held by Filipino Muslim extremists, Philippine Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon said.

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and Finnish Foreign Minister Errki Tuomioja came here seeking Manila's assurance following concerns that military action would put the hostages' lives at risk.

Five French, four German and two Finnish nationals are among the 40 hostages being held by Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremists in the southern Philippine island of Jolo.

Negotiators in Jolo, meanwhile, emerged optimistic from a critical meeting early Thursday with Abu Sayyaf leaders.

Libyan mediator Rajab Azzarouq, who led a five member team for "make or break" talks Thursday with the rebel leaders at their jungle hideout, gave the thumbs up sign when asked if the meeting went smoothly.

"In the coming days, we might have a release," Azzarouq told reporters.

Briefing reporters after the hour-long meeting, Siazon said the European ministers cautioned the president that "in their view, it is of extreme importance that the military option not be used and that we continue negotiations with them."

Estrada assured the ministers "that he understands the sentiments of the families of the hostages because this incident has gone on for some time," Siazon said.

"But the reason it has gone on for some time is because we are negotiating," he added.

In a previous case in April the military launched a rescue operation after the Abu Sayyaf took about 50 Filipino hostages in the southern island of Basilan.

Several hostages were shot dead by Abu Sayyaf gunmen during the operation.

Siazon said the Jolo hostage situation would not follow "the case of Basilan, where in the end, military option was used."

The European ministers reiterated the importance of a negotiated solution to the crisis, he said, adding that they offered whatever assistance the Philippine government might need in resolving the problem.

Asked why the European ministers were so concerned about the prospect of a military solution, Siazon said they had seen newspaper reports about impatient security officials calling for rescue attempts.

"Sometimes, when a government is negotiating for a long time, there is a tendency for governments to lose patience and from their perspective they say that such an option would have a great risk on the hostages and their preference is, of course, for a negotiated settlement," he said.

Chief government negotiator Roberto Aventajado was also present at the talks, during which he told the ministers that he was hopeful of a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Azzarouq's meeting with Abu Sayyaf leaders early Thursday was the first face-to-face talks between negotiators and the kidnappers after nearly a month-long "cooling off" period when they relied on unofficial emissaries.

Azzarouq, a former Libyan ambassador to the Philippines who had previously secured the release of several kidnap victims from the Abu Sayyaf, was accompanied by local peace advocate Parouk Hussein and two Muslim clergymen.

Asked about the prospect hostages being released soon, Parouk said: "We are very hopeful."

The Abu Sayyaf originally abducted three German, two French, two Finns, nine Malaysians, two Filipinos, one Lebanese and two South Africans from a Malaysian resort island off Borneo on April 23.

One Malaysian was later released, while the extremists have since captured one German and three French journalists who tried to enter their camp to interview the rebels and hostages, and 13 Filipino Christian preachers who went to pray for the captives.

The rebels are also holding three Filipino hostages, kidnapped on nearby Basilan island.

The Abu Sayyaf have made several political demands and sought cash ransoms for the release of the hostages.

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