| NEGOTIATORS
TRYING TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH KIDNAPPERS ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 4 (Bernama) -- The Philippine government chief
negotiator Nur Misuari said he is trying to re-establish contact with kidnappers of the 21
people of various nationalities from Malaysia's Sipadan Island last fortnight.
He said contact with the abductors, who were then holed up on Jolo island in southern
Philippines, was interrupted following clashes between the group and government forces.
Misuari, who is governor ot Muslim Mindanao Autonomous Region, was speaking at a luncheon
in honour of a Malaysian delegation visiting the city Thursday.
While the present whereabouts of the captives could not be ascertained at the moment,
Misuari said re-establishing contact with their kidnappers was vital to facilitate formal
talks with them.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Pandikar Amin Mulia is leading the
Malaysian delegation to continue monitoring efforts from here to secure the release of the
captives.
Misuari said his emissary Abdul Rahman Jamsali, who is in Jolo Island at the moment, would
try to re-establish personal contact with the kidnappers believed to be holding up their
captives in the mountains there.
He said Abdul Rahman had also been instructed to check the latest information and the
kidnappers' demands.
Ten of the captives are Malaysians and the rest include Germans, South Africans, Finns and
French nationals.
Accompanying Pandikar Amin are Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal, Malaysian
ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Arshad M.Hussain, Chief of Defence Forces Tan Sri
Mohamed Zahidi Zainuddin and South Africa's High Commissioner to Malaysia Lindiwe Mabuza.
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