/ 30 May 2000

IBYA SENDS SECOND ENVOY TO PHILIPPINES

LIBYA is to send a second envoy to the Philippines to try to help secure the release of 21 mostly foreign hostages held by Muslim rebels, a Libyan organisation said on Tuesday. The Kadhafi World Foundation, in a statement published by the Libyan embassy in Riyadh, said the second representative would back up the efforts of special envoy Rajab Azzaruk. A son of Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, Sayfoulislam, decided on the move, it said, without naming the new envoy. The hostages were seized from the Malaysian resort island of Sipadan on April 23 and taken to Jolo in the Philippines by boat. Philippine government negotiators and Abu Sayyaf rebels were preparing to resume talks on Wednesday for their release.