>Libya: > >News and View > >Wednesday, 23 August, 2000: Libya is reported to have agreed to raise an extra >US$12 million ransom for the release of westerners among the 28 hostages held >by the Abu Sayyaf rebels in the southern Philippines. An official in >Philippine President Joseph Estrada's office said the money was believed to be >on top of the US$25 million Libya had pledged in development aid to Jolo >island. The rebels had backed off on the release of the remaining hostages >last weekend, citing fears of a military attack as the main reason. But >government sources have said, a dispute over ransom payments between the >rebels and top Libyan negotiator Rajab Azzarouq, is the real culprit. >Meanwhile, preparations for further talks continue. [Yahoo] > >Wednesday, 23 August, 2000: Libya has approved a secret deal proposed by >Manila to woo Muslim extremists into freeing 28 hostages in the southern >Philippines, officials said Tuesday. A Philippine government emissary was >expected to deliver the formula, details of which were being kept under wraps, >to the Abu Sayyaf gunmen holding 12 Westerners and 16 Filipinos on Jolo >island, an aide to top negotiator Roberto Aventajado said. He said Libya's >pointman in the negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf, Rajab Azzarouq, conveyed >Tripoli's decision to Aventajado late Monday. Libya is reported to be >providing the ransom money to the Muslim rebels, delivered either as cash or >as aid to Islamic areas in the mainly Roman Catholic Philippines. [AFP] > >Wednesday, 23 August, 2000: Burundian President Pierre Buyoya Sunday expressed >scepticism that "there was no solid grounds" on which to base an agreement >expected to be signed 28 August during the planned peace conference aimed at >bringing together parties to the ongoing conflict in that country. Reporting a >telephone conversation with Libyan leader Col. Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi, the Libyan >news agency quoted Buyoya as saying that "in this context," the planned Arusha >(Tanzania) conference "will reach no solution." Quoting official Libyan >sources, it said Buyoya's view was that the conference would result in no more >than "a simple press release because of divergences in the viewpoints put >forth" by the parties involved in the conflict. [PANA] _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
