| PHILIPPINE
NEGOTIATORS MOVE TO RESUME TALKS WITH ABU SAYYAF JOLO, (Philippines), June 6 (Bernama-DPA) - Philippine negotiators on
Tuesday worked to appease Islamic separatists holding 21 hostages of seven nations in a
bid to resume talks aimed at peacefully ending the 45-day standoff amid threats of a
military rescue.
The Abu Sayyaf separatists have insisted on the "partial compliance" of a demand
to ban commercial fishing off the seas of Jolo island, Sulu province, 1,000 kilometres
south of Manila, before they return to the negotiating table.
Chief government negotiator Roberto Aventajado was scheduled to meet with fishing vessel
operators in nearby Zamboanga City to discuss the implementation of a law prohibiting
large-scale fishing 15 kilometres off the shoreline.
"The resumption of the talks with the Abu Sayyaf will depend on the results of the
meeting," said Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, a member of the five-man negotiating
panel. "We expect full cooperation from the fishing boat operators."
Tan said Aventajado will fly into Jolo island on Wednesday "if we get the right
results" from the meeting.
Aventajado has already won the commitment of Manila-based fishermen to follow the rule on
commercial fishing.
The negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf have made little headway since Aventajado's team held
a first round of talks with four Abu Sayyaf leaders on May 27. The slow progress has
triggered criticisms from impatient captives and foreign governments.
On Monday, Aventajado warned the Philippine government may opt to launch a military rescue
to end the 45-day hostage crisis if the rebels become "very unreasonable" with
their demands.
The threat came as the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas submitted new demands in the form of counter
proposals to the government's rejection of their demand for an independent Islamic state.
Tan has refused to reveal the new demands, which are contained in a letter to Aventajado,
but told reporters on Monday, "From the way I look at it, the Abu Sayyaf has the
intention to shorten the stay of the hostages."
The separatists are holding captive three Germans, two French nationals, two Finns, a
South African couple, a Lebanese woman, nine Malaysians and two Filipinos. The victims
were abducted from the Malaysian diving island of Sipadan on April 23.--Bernama-DPA
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